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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659846">Journey To Eden</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InoruMarufuji/pseuds/InoruMarufuji'>InoruMarufuji</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(I love him I promise), Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Besides Yoongi and Kookie there's little mention of BTS sorry, Blood and Gore, Bullying, Corruption (sort of), Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Deception, Everyone is Dead, Fighting, Gen, Han Jisung | Han-centric, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Manipulation, Murder, Physical Abuse, Possibly Unrequited Love, Reincarnation, Seo Changbin Being an Asshole, Serial Killers, Suicide, Temporary Amnesia, The major character death tag is irrelevant and you'll see why, Violence, Yeah I changed my mind about the ending, inspired by a certain anime, mostly - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:59:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>59,694</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659846</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InoruMarufuji/pseuds/InoruMarufuji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Threshold. </p>
<p>A world for souls that have left the earth, but are too burdened by the events of their lives to ascend to heaven or descend to hell.</p>
<p>This is where Jisung – a so-called <i>black star</i> – lives, not as a poor stagnated soul waiting for salvation, but as the one bringing said salvation. </p>
<p>At least... that was the plan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Because whoever tends to stagnated souls has to be careful that he does not become a stagnated soul himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Han Jisung | Han &amp; Min Yoongi | Suga, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Lee Minho | Lee Know &amp; Yoo Kihyun, Yang Jeongin | I.N &amp; Jeon Jungkook</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. [Scene 1]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhyAreAllUsernamesTaken/gifts">WhyAreAllUsernamesTaken</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Alright Bine, I know I'm a month early, but I would like to give you your birthday present already because I really don't know how else I'm going to do this.</p>
<p>This fic is as good as finished, probably around 55k – 60k, and I hope it will be to your liking because this is literally the sixth version of the story and I just want to publish it already.</p>
<p>Happy (very early!!) birthday, the sappy speech will take place in December.</p>
<p>As for this first chapter, please enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The old chapel was completely destroyed.</p>
<p>Ruins of a building long since collapsed in the unrelenting change of seasons, the weathering obvious in the crumbling stones of which the chapel was made of, the moss grown between the cracks, dust heavy in the air, silencing the entire scene.</p>
<p>Particles glittered beautifully in the faint light of the full moon, all too clearly visible behind the broken windows as a white disc and seeming as if it had been hung up behind the night sky, the glow it gave off so different and unlike that of the thousands of stars that dotted the black canvas above.</p>
<p>It had to be well after midnight already, the world wrapped in a blanket of suffocating silence and desolate, ever-present dreams that weighed heavily upon the heart the longer it had to withstand the torture provided by some sadistic god above.</p>
<p>Still, in the ear-shattering quietness surrounding, consuming, the chapel, a boy sat, his flashlight the only companion in the gruesome darkness as he let it wander over the colorful shard in his hand, evaluating, scrutinizing whether it would be of use to him.</p>
<p>The shard was a piece broken from the windows that had been rendered useless by a heavy storm, thicker than the average glass and therefore valuable, especially with the prestigious pattern so carefully painted across the smooth surface, and as he traced the sharp edges with his finger, he already imagined the jewelry he would be able to craft from this shard.</p>
<p>He slipped it into the pocket of his jacket, a clatter from other pieces already collected letting him know that he had been here a while already.</p>
<p>Since the early evening, he had been hunting for treasures in the chapel, the eerie thuds of his footsteps on the checkered, partly broken marble under him the only sounds to penetrate the silence, apart from his own racing thoughts screeching in his head in an endless loop.</p>
<p>Worried, as he always tended to be this time around, he straightened up from where he had been hunched over his latest finding, his back protesting at the sudden movement, his muscles tired from the extended strain as he gazed around warily.</p>
<p>Caution, distrust, attentiveness.</p>
<p>They formed the basis of what life was like in this city on a night like this one, graced by the full moon of terror, howling winds telling of wailing voices not yet resting, and the sea greedily licking at the shore as if wanting to consume it along with everyone who lived on land.</p>
<p>He shivered at the cold seeping into his skin, steadily freezing him into nothing more than a statue like the one that used to hang above the altar as an offering to the god ruling over this chapel, its presence imposing, yet welcoming and palpable for anyone who entered.</p>
<p>Religion had never been a source of comfort for him, even if his little brother begged to differ, a devoted believer not swept away by doubts upon the fates that were befalling the city.</p>
<p>Even if the statue laying broken before him on the ground was a proof of crumbling hope, the scarce faith that still existed lived on in some way, even if it was no longer channelled in the symbols that used to hold meaning.</p>
<p>He stepped towards the remnants of the altar, wanting to embrace the familiarity of it once more before he returned home, yet he was stopped by a sudden noise on his right, a few pebbles rolling down a pile of collapsed stones, as if purposefully nudged from their position.</p>
<p>The yellow glow of his flashlight scanned over the pile in hectic fashion, his heart stopping for a single beat before it resumed its work twice as fast, every pounding sending a wave of fear to his brain, a command to his muscles that made him move back.</p>
<p>His light was unable to find anything among the stones and dirt, fruitlessly searching for anyone or anything seeking to jump at him, catch him off guard, but there was nothing there except the echo of his own breaths.</p>
<p>Grasping for a sliver of self-control, for the presence of his voice to disrupt the tense stillness, he inhaled deeply, the icy air cutting into his lungs painfully and freezing him from the inside.</p>
<p>''Who's there?'', he gasped out, desperate in his endeavor not to let his unease show, however powerless he was in the matter.</p>
<p>The all-consuming silence reigned strong for a few torturous seconds longer, apprehension filling his every fiber and making him vibrate with an energy that needed to go somewhere.</p>
<p>Even though his paranoid mind had expected somewhat of a reaction, the noise of rolling pebbles once more had him flinching, his flashlight finding the dark figure of a tiny animal atop the pile, black wings spread and red eyes boring themselves into his soul.</p>
<p>A raven.</p>
<p>Relief surging through his veins, he brought a hand up to place over his heart, willing the rapid pace to slow down as the raven jumped down, eyes never seeming to leave him as it cocked its head as if asking a question.</p>
<p>''You scared me'', he told the animal, the need to explain his jumpy reaction weighing down on him along with the comfort of hearing the sound of his voice that was pushing him to speak. ''You know exactly what day it is today.''</p>
<p>The raven stood unmoving, thinking, then decided to tap its claw on the ground twice, the tocks way too intentional for it to pass off as expected behavior.</p>
<p>It brought about a fresh new shiver as he stared at the raven, almost anticipating what it would do next, similarly to how the raven seemed to await his reaction.</p>
<p>When nothing happened, no sign of either of them moving, there was a demanding, rather deep croak before the raven spread its wings once more, flapping them in impatience before stalking away with its head held high.</p>
<p>Unsure what to make of the action, he simply watched the animal retreat, startling when it turned around after a few steps and let out another croak, tapping its claw again.</p>
<p>Ah. He was supposed to follow.</p>
<p>He nodded to show that he understood, moving towards the raven slowly, as if a sudden movement would make it fly away, but it simply flapped its wings and picked up its pace, leading him around the pile of ruins it had appeared on.</p>
<p>It strode through the darkness confidently, urgently, the action bearing a little too much awareness for comfort, though that thought was gone with the wind once he had rounded the pile of stones, his flashlight catching the familiar features of a human boy sprawled on the dusty floor, unmoving, unconscious, maybe even dead.</p>
<p>His breath hitched at the finding, even more so when the raven aggressively croaked a third time, its wing pointing at the boy's figure being his clue to move, lest he got attacked by a pissed off bird.</p>
<p>Upon drawing closer to the motionless figure on the ground, he was able to make out the boy's attire, consisting of a simple shirt and short black pants, as well as some sort of black cape that was adorned with a white star on the right side.</p>
<p>A similar star was tattooed right below the boy's left eye in black, its outline faintly glowing as the light hit it, and strangely fascinated from the sight, he stepped closer still, taking note of his dishevelled dark hair, the chubby cheeks and soft face, an indicator of the male's tender age.</p>
<p>''Hey'', he quietly called out, the sudden urge to speak, to cut through the oppressive silence, overwhelming him once more as he watched the steady rise and fall of the boy's chest, taking comfort in the fact that he was still alive. ''Hey, can you hear me?''</p>
<p>As foreseen, the only answer he received was the echo of his own words reverberating off the chapel's walls, shortly after the frustrated scratching of the raven's claw on the ground.</p>
<p>He was about to crouch down and examine the boy for any injuries, wanting to provide help the best he could, but a rumble, followed by a high pitched whine held him back, froze him to the spot as he blinked in confusion.</p>
<p>The figure on the ground moved, curled up slightly, a pained expression appearing on his features as another rumble penetrated the air, demanding and loud.</p>
<p>It was the faintest fluttering of the boy's long eyelashes that gave away his struggle to return to the realm of the living, drawn away from his deep slumber by the unpleasant reminder that he had to eat, the primal need for nourishment overpowering everything else.</p>
<p>Groaning, he started to stir, seeing no use in holding onto the gentle darkness any longer, and as he slowly opened his eyes to the world, possessing a grace and serenity that was exceptionally rare, it was as if a whole new sky had appeared in the boy's sapphire blue irises.</p>
<p>Sparkling like jewels, holding a depth like the boundless sea that washed over the shoreline, they fixed on him, half bemused, half benevolent, no need for words or explanations in the way the boy raised his hand in casual greeting, the raven idly picking at the ground next to him.</p>
<p>Still, by some force beyond his comprehension, he felt urged to break the quietness, seemingly even more penetrating with another person right in front of him.</p>
<p>''I'm Jungkook'', he heard himself speak, someone else clearly using his voice, as it was far too hoarse and unstable for his liking.</p>
<p>His introduction was met with silence on the boy's part, deep blue eyes searching, evaluating, like he was merely a crystal himself, sharp edges and smooth surface, glittering colorfully in the moonlight.</p>
<p>''Jisung.''</p>
<p>The answer was delivered to him with a strange hesitation, Jisung not seeming sure of himself, yet there was not a hint of vulnerability or doubt in the way he got to his feet, wordless, awaiting whether Jungkook would say something else.</p>
<p>He didn't, not that there was any need to as Jisung's stomach grumbled again, long and noisy, the sound producing a dry chuckle from Jungkook despite the other male's nonchalance.</p>
<p>''You seem hungry'', he needlessly pointed out, a fragile attempt to insert humor that fell short with Jisung's blank expression. ''Do you want to eat something at my place?''</p>
<p>He didn't expect a reaction, simply because his offer was one of complete impulse, fueled by a deep-set need to protect the boy who seemed to be around his little brother's age, but to his surprise, Jisung nodded delicately, a gesture of his hand a silent request to lead the way.</p>
<p>It was with the first step towards the partly collapsed entrance of the chapel that the little raven let out another croak, taking off the ground and skillfully settling on Jisung's shoulder as if it had always belonged there, the action practiced and executed with natural ease.</p>
<p>Not wanting to talk the boy's ear off, yet unable to quench his curiosity, he fell in step with Jisung's pace, seeking a convenient angle to watch the animal, red beads glaring into his soul.</p>
<p>Jungkook wondered what it would find there.</p>
<p>''What's with the raven? Is that normal where you're from?'', he inquired, once more registering Jisung's rather unusual choice of clothing as they left the building and were immediately greeted with vicious, cold gusts of wind, salty air invading his nostrils as was usually the case so close to the sea.</p>
<p>It was certainly no weather to be wandering around in, especially with the full moon hanging ominously right above the city, dripping the darkest shade of despair onto the abandoned, fissured skyscrapers, the wildly grown patches of green and the once homey apartments and tiny houses that no longer provided any sort of comfort.</p>
<p>Judging by the way Jisung was looking around, it was obvious that he came from afar, though why exactly he would specifically want to visit Busan was beyond him, even more so since the city had somewhat of a reputation.</p>
<p>A stigma, some might call it.</p>
<p>And as Jungkook led the stranger home, taking twists and turns despite his home being pretty much right in the middle, the <em>heart </em>of the city, he couldn't help but shiver, feeling dread spike in his veins at the prospect of the twisted game that had yet to take place tonight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Hyung! Where have you been?''</p>
<p>Jungkook wasn't surprised to be confronted by his little brother the second he stepped over the threshold of their weathered home into the narrow hallway, the checkered floor under him a source of familiarity, just like the dusted paintings on the walls that hadn't been cleaned in forever.</p>
<p>The entire house gave off a flair of having been abandoned long ago, dismissed and forgotten like the houses of all the neighbors who had fled in the dead of night as the first case had surfaced.</p>
<p>Making a mental note to tidy the place if he found a chance, he ruffled his brother's light pink hair lovingly, his tense smile the sliver of a hopeful spark even if the fear was all too obviously reflected in his chestnut brown eyes.</p>
<p>''Today is full moon, what are you doing running around after sundown?''</p>
<p>It was a worried frenzy disguised as an exasperated scolding, the younger having never been one to be comfortable showing his care, but it warmed Jungkook's heart nonetheless.</p>
<p>''Sorry Innie, I lost track of time'', he admitted, watching Jeongin pout, visibly taking a breath to complain about his carelessness when his gaze caught Jisung and he jumped, not used to Jungkook bringing along company.</p>
<p>The distrust he showed by taking a step back and scanning the boy for any signs of hostility wasn't unfounded, even less so on this peculiar night, and Jisung wasn't much of a help either, looking positively terrifying with his blank expression and the hood of his cape pulled over his head.</p>
<p>The raven had nestled into the tiny space between his neck and the hood, though as soon as the door fell shut, it shot out from its hiding spot, aiming for the lone lamp that dangled from the ceiling and startling Jeongin even more, making him cling to his brother's arm.</p>
<p>''Who is this?'', he hissed, eyes following the raven as it circled the light like a moth.</p>
<p>''Hey, no need to be afraid.''</p>
<p>Squeezing Jeongin's shoulder lightly, he nodded at Jisung, hoping for him to introduce himself and break the ice, maybe even smile to ease Jeongin's worry a little.</p>
<p>However, Jisung simply stared, wordless, expressionless, not fazed at all by the uncomfortable blanket of silence that enveloped them, so Jungkook took it upon himself to play mediator.</p>
<p>''This is Jisung, a traveler from afar.''</p>
<p>He didn't know how true that statement was, after all Jisung hadn't really provided any sort of information about himself or made an attempt to communicate with him, but since he wasn't protesting either, it seemed to be correct enough.</p>
<p>Still unnerved, Jeongin gave an awkward smile, fiddling with the self-made necklace Jungkook had given him for protection, a solid promise shared between brothers in a time where nothing was certain except the impending death they were walking towards.</p>
<p>As always during these nights, the younger was seeking reassurance, peace of mind in its purest form, yet the only thing Jungkook was capable of giving him was a white lie.</p>
<p>''It'll be okay. You know V won't come after you as long as you wear your lucky charm.''</p>
<p>The approach was clumsy at best and desperate at worst, only able to tug Jeongin's lips slightly upwards, fingers closing around the rounded glass shard, tracing the edges, wishing the simple jewelry to be something it wasn't.</p>
<p>Jungkook sighed, turning towards Jisung to offer him something to eat when he caught the male's attentive gaze, something about his sentence seeming to have spurred a glimmer of life in his eyes.</p>
<p>''V?'', he asked plainly, the ignorance and carelessness of his question having Jeongin sputtering in disbelief, face pale, hands trembling, as he inspected Jisung again.</p>
<p>His previous reserve for the boy seemed to have flown out of the window, replaced instead with incredulity and worry.</p>
<p>''You mean... you came here without knowing about V?''</p>
<p>He was met with no answer, unsurprisingly, but from the way Jisung stared blankly, it was clear that he wanted them to go on.</p>
<p>At least that was Jungkook's take on the action, so he led the boy over to the kitchen area, the view that laid in front of the window horrifying, scarring, but representative of the gruesome events that took place all over the city.</p>
<p>''Every full moon...''</p>
<p>He momentarily interrupted himself to clear his throat, unsettled by the casual way Jisung stepped next to him to look out of the window at the cement wall across the street, bright yellow tape warning trespassers to keep out.</p>
<p>It was hard to make out with the veil of darkness holding the city in its grasp, but the darkened spots on the wall spoke for themselves, pretentious lines drawn in deliberate messiness forming a number that changed in the course of every full moon.</p>
<p>Finding his voice, he continued speaking, his hand trembling against the fabric of his trousers.</p>
<p>''Someone gets murdered.''</p>
<p>Jeongin inhaled sharply while Jisung barely twitched, unseeing eyes scanning over the morbid inscription, only tearing his gaze away when his raven abandoned the light in favor of landing on the table, fluffing up its feathers and croaking.</p>
<p>Such a vocal raven was hard to come by, but Jungkook figured it probably stemmed from training.</p>
<p>''V always leaves his signature and the number of his victims in blood'', Jeongin continued quietly, nearly shrinking back as he spotted the foggy moon eye in the sky, the glow haunting and unreal as it glared down at them.</p>
<p>At the stage laid out just for V, a ghost city where only the poor and old remained, the rest of its inhabitants leaving to save their lives before they were taken.</p>
<p><em>53</em> said the number drawn in blood, a sad streak to be upheld by the ruthless serial killer terrorizing them, nausea causing Jungkook to look away and focus on Jisung who stared motionlessly, almost appearing as if he wanted to comment on something.</p>
<p>A thought lost in the wind, for as soon as he opened his mouth, his stomach piped up, rumbling quite aggressively, and bringing the conversation to a stop.</p>
<p>Despite himself, Jeongin managed a tiny, weak sounding chuckle, turning away from the window as if that would eradicate everything that waited behind.</p>
<p>''I'll make something to eat.''</p>
<p>There weren't that many choices presented to them in the dusty, wooden cupboards, most provisions already gone or going bad, but his little brother had a knack for conjuring something out of nothing, so what they ended up with was acceptable, to say the least.</p>
<p>The three of them sat around the minuscule table for their very late dinner, curtains drawn to block out the scene behind the window, the flickering lamp above the only source of light.</p>
<p>Jungkook fed bits and pieces of the meat to his brother's cat Dandielonie while Jeongin was busy pestering Jisung with questions, obviously feeling confident enough to do so or simply needing a distraction to prevent his mind from turning against him.</p>
<p>''Where do you come from? Why did you travel here? How old are you? Are you all on your own? What's with the raven?''</p>
<p>In the flurry of questions that rushed over Jisung, it would have been difficult to pinpoint a good angle to start even if he had intended on answering, but he didn't reply regardless, stuffing his face with the food, his cheeks puffing out adorably.</p>
<p>He was certainly a strange boy.</p>
<p>Jeongin seemed to think similarly, not quite sure what to make of Jisung, yet trying his best to initiate a conversation, driven by the loneliness of seeing all his friends move away, but being unable to follow.</p>
<p>They didn't possess a lot of money, barely enough to support the two of them after their parents had mysteriously vanished, and Jeongin especially didn't really cope well with the lack of social contact, even if Dandielonie helped a little.</p>
<p>There was only so much animals could do, only a certain extent of comfort they could provide, and watching Jeongin push his half-eaten rice away in favor of pulling the cat on his lap, nuzzling his nose into the soft fur with a melancholic expression, merely confirmed the fact that he was starved for any interaction.</p>
<p>Jungkook did what he could, but it was never enough, his duties of having to make sure they had enough money and food to survive interfering with the ones of making sure Jeongin was taken care of.</p>
<p>It bothered him that the younger more often than not had to cut back on his needs, and he did wonder if he was a good older brother, but there was nothing that could be done at this time.</p>
<p>Feeling full all of a sudden, Jungkook placed the bread he had already picked up back on his plate, Jisung across from him wolfing down the food as if there was no tomorrow, way beyond the point of simply being <em>hungry</em>.</p>
<p>He somehow didn't fit into the miserable picture around him, transcending a barrier that Jungkook had never realized existed, and even though – or perhaps <em>especially </em>because – the boy gave nothing away, he was downright fascinating.</p>
<p>A living mystery dressed in black, but able to hold the entire sky, the endless sea in his eyes.</p>
<p>The vibrant blue reminded him of one of the crystal pendants he created from glass shards and sold to others, an idea striking him upon watching Jisung, the star under his eye seeming to glow faintly.</p>
<p>''Say, Jisung'', he began, drawing the boy's attention, a piece of bread halfway to his mouth. He froze for a second, but didn't give any other indication of having heard Jungkook before he continued eating.</p>
<p>Well, it was as much of a reaction as he would have expected anyway.</p>
<p>''Since you come around so much, could you do me a favor?''</p>
<p>Rising from his chair, he strode over to the workshop that was adjacent to the kitchen, various items carefully crafted through his nimble fingers and displayed as his most treasured possessions.</p>
<p>They sold for quite a bit, but it was never enough to put some money aside and actually start making plans to get out of this hellhole, the few people who still resided in the city and bought his jewelry becoming increasingly rarer.</p>
<p>Reaching for his most recent work, a pendant with a sapphire blue glass shard, he couldn't help thinking how much it reminded him of Jisung's eyes, mysterious and unique as they were.</p>
<p>It would look stylish on him, adding to his already extraordinary aura while simultaneously providing a walking advertisement for Jungkook, so upon returning to the kitchen, he handed the pendant over to Jisung with a proud smile.</p>
<p>It was rather difficult to plane glass, not to mention the edges turned out dangerously sharp more often than not, but the way it sparkled in the dim light was beautifully radiant.</p>
<p>Still, there wasn't any awe or delight in Jisung's eyes as he accepted the piece, his gaze giving nothing away and causing dissatisfaction to gnaw at Jungkook's insides at the lack of <em>anything</em>.</p>
<p>Jisung carefully, silently slipped the necklace over his head, blue contrasting with his black cape, Jeongin letting out a sound of amazement as he stroked Dandielonie.</p>
<p>''It's so pretty!'', he commented, wonder and envy alike glinting in his eyes at his brother's talents, the praise warming Jungkook's heart.</p>
<p>It didn't last long, only a few faint seconds, before Jeongin noticed that Jisung wasn't showing any reaction, and he softly prodded the boy's side, testing the waters.</p>
<p>''Hey, aren't you happy?''</p>
<p>Jisung stared at the pendant, drawn in by the glittering reflection, but completely apathetic, too far away to register anything at all.</p>
<p>''You know, boys are cuter when they smile'', Jeongin tacked on, playful amusement in his voice, but it was in vain with the monotone answer he received, merely a glance of nothingness meeting his own.</p>
<p>''Thanks'', Jisung said, and nothing more.</p>
<p>Once again, there was silence.</p>
<p>It was uncomfortable, unnatural, Jeongin looking weirdly downtrodden about the dismissive reply, so Jungkook took it upon himself to continue carrying the conversation, figuring he might as well make use of the situation as it was.</p>
<p>''Alright! In exchange for giving you this, you'll stay here for the night and play with Innie! Deal?''</p>
<p>And as Jeongin visibly lit up at the prospect of having fun with someone who wasn't his own brother for once, Jisung just stared at the pendant, only lifting his head once to examine the street outside again – and by default, the gruesome signature on the stone wall.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>V 53.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Under the moon's glow and watchful eye, atop the roof of the simple building in which the broken family housed, a boy sat amidst an array of black feathers, unmoving, unblinking, red eyes fixed at the horizon.</p>
<p>A cold breeze tousled his black hair, strands flying about the place and a familiar icy feeling on his face, yet he showed no sign of discomfort, waiting patiently in the darkness while Jisung played with Jeongin inside.</p>
<p>They had occupied themselves with mundane things such as playing house, joking around with the cat or indulging in some card game, the activities meant to tire Jeongin out and get him to bed.</p>
<p>It seemed to work well enough, tireless observations made from above proving that the young boy was nodding off more and more frequently, Jungkook seemingly relieved and eager to get him under his sheets and sleep off the dreadful night of the full moon.</p>
<p>The whole scenery bore resemblance to a vivid nightmare, quicksand pulling its next victims into the depths of eternal despair crafted by V himself who only ever used the moon as his stage lights to strike down his next target.</p>
<p>Moving around the ghostly city soundlessly, deadly, he sought out the people still remaining alive, killing them one by one without any haste.</p>
<p>''Innie, I think it's time to go to bed'', Jungkook's voice filtered through the air, quietly, affectionately, and the boy on the roof grimaced as he heard a tired mumble, followed by shuffling and an exhausted <em>goodnight</em>.</p>
<p>Jeongin was young, awfully so at that, and having to deal with a serial killer roaming free in the city had to be fraying his nerves day and night, but he was holding up exceptionally well.</p>
<p>At least from what the boy could tell.</p>
<p>Perking up his ears, he expected Jisung to excuse himself from Jungkook's presence in order to join him on the roof, their agreed upon meeting place for missions like this, but that had to wait as a sudden commotion erupted downstairs from Jeongin padding back into the kitchen.</p>
<p>''Hyung, have you seen Dandielonie?''</p>
<p>His voice was much less tired all of a sudden, startled, alarmed and spiked with worry.</p>
<p>''She always sleeps next to my bed, but she's not there.''</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence, a heavy decision to be made, and even without seeing anything, the boy could guess that Jungkook was nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot, aware that anything he might say could potentially set Jeongin off.</p>
<p>''Maybe she just went for a last stroll around the house'', he offered weakly. ''She'll surely be there in a second, don't worry about it and get to bed.''</p>
<p>The boy dared to peek through a window in the roof into the kitchen, making sure to blend into the shadow of the night as he watched Jeongin's face contort in a frown, unconvinced, worried, doubting, none of which was a pretty sight.</p>
<p>''But'', he disagreed, hands closing around the pendant that hung from his neck, the one supposedly offering protection from the serial killer. ''What if she's outside and...''</p>
<p>He swallowed heavily, eyes taking on a faraway look as they locked on the graffiti across the road.</p>
<p>''What if V got her?''</p>
<p>Pretty much anything Jungkook was able to say in false comfort was a one way street, festering doubts and unreasonable choices out of worry for a beloved pet, so the older didn't say anything at all, simply meeting his little brother's gaze.</p>
<p>The boy on the roof wasn't sure what Jeongin might have seen in Jungkook's eyes, but his shoulders started quivering like he was about to cry and he shook his head defiantly, clearly in denial.</p>
<p>The moment was drawn out, wordless, moving in slow motion, until Jungkook brought a hand up to his forehead, rubbing it like he was willing a headache away.</p>
<p>''Go to bed, Innie. We'll search for her tomorrow.''</p>
<p>His words were piercing, an arrow of authority and definiteness hard to resist, and Jeongin flinched before visibly slumping, seemingly giving in as he muttered something under his breath and turned around, the light bouncing off his crystal necklace much like it did with Jisung's.</p>
<p>Jisung hadn't gotten involved in the exchange, idly standing by the door, waiting, waiting, even still waiting as Jungkook let himself fall into a chair and buried his face in his hands.</p>
<p>It was clear that the responsibility of keeping Jeongin safe was gnawing at his nerves, his sanity almost completely diminished by the fear for his brother's well-being, and although he did try his best, he could really only do so much.</p>
<p>Maybe nothing at all.</p>
<p>''It's almost time for your entrance, Jisung'', the boy on the roof mused to himself, black hair obstructing his sight, and with the realization that they wouldn't have any time to reconcile before the mission, he pushed himself up with a mighty shove.</p>
<p>Instead of a boy seeking shelter in the darkness of the night, there was a raven flapping its wings demandingly, letting its sharp gaze wander over the abandoned city before it squeezed itself through the slightly ajar window.</p>
<p>The abrupt shift from dark to bright was blinding, disorienting, yet the raven was able to settle on Jisung's shoulder, giving a caw to announce its presence.</p>
<p>Roused from the sound, Jungkook sighed and heaved himself up, wanting to check on Jeongin and make sure he was in bed, and Jisung followed his quick steps despite already knowing the scene they would be presented with.</p>
<p>It was an expected outcome really.</p>
<p>Expected much like the scream resounding through the house at the sight of Jeongin's messy and empty bed, as well as his open window, a despairing and ear-shattering revelation that his little brother was gone.</p>
<p>Terror gripped Jungkook's heart as he stumbled towards the window, the thick darkness outside giving nothing away, swallowing any noise, and without hesitating for a single second, he climbed through the frame, managing to scratch up his arm on the porose wood in his haste to get out.</p>
<p>He didn't feel the cold on his bare skin, neither the strong winds in his hair, only the penetrating smell of blood they brought with them that pushed him forward with desperate prayers on his lips.</p>
<p>He had never been religious, had never asked the gods for their protection or mercy, and so the pleas spilling out of him seemed like an attempt to make up for all that time he had merely fondly smiled at Jeongin as the younger had been busy praying.</p>
<p>Meaningless buildings passed him on both sides as he took off down the street, trying to determine a good place to start, mind racing with thoughts of which way his little brother had gone, listening for his steps, his breathing, his calls for Dandielonie.</p>
<p>Everything stayed silent.</p>
<p>A contorted sense of comfort was present in the fact that Jungkook hadn't heard a scream from Jeongin either, yet at the same time his rapidly thumping heart warned him of giving into this faux feeling of safety.</p>
<p>It meant nothing.</p>
<p>No one ever made noise. No one ever got to.</p>
<p>He turned into an alley, thundering steps unable to stop in time before his feet caught on something and sent him straight to the ground, the impact shooting through his body as white-hot pain.</p>
<p>Driven by the need to get up and keep searching, he attempted to push himself up, only for his hands to come into contact with a sticky, wet liquid that seemed to be spread over the concrete in a strange pattern.</p>
<p>
  <em>Blood. It was blood.</em>
</p>
<p>The substance was still warm under his fingers, a nauseating sensation that had him flinching back from the disgusting feeling.</p>
<p>He dared to look down, a mix of dread and realization pooling in his stomach as he recognized the all-too-familiar lines on the ground, a murderous opus signed by the artist himself and only illuminated by a few lanterns.</p>
<p>
  <em>V 54.</em>
</p>
<p>''No...''</p>
<p>Jungkook choked on air, staring at the bloody lines under him without really seeing them, not capable of comprehending just what had been done to Jeongin in the matter of mere <em>minutes</em>.</p>
<p>It... it couldn't be.</p>
<p>This couldn't be his little brother, it was impossible.</p>
<p>''What a shame, isn't it?''</p>
<p>The sound of that sinister voice had Jungkook's head whipping around to a darkened corner of the alley, just in time to catch two red, almost demonic eyes moving against a pitch black background.</p>
<p>A cold-blooded killer hiding in the shadows, having long since lost his humanity to the fascination of death and morbidity, of feeling the trickle of blood on his hands and hearing the last desperate, ragged breaths of his succumbing victims.</p>
<p>''Memento Mori! Remember you must die!'', he declared cheerfully, stepping into the dim light of the lanterns, allowing Jungkook to really <em>see </em>the killer that was responsible for taking dozens of lives.</p>
<p>The boy didn't look too intimidating per se with his insultingly attractive features and his almost innocent demeanor, but at the same time there was something otherworldly, <em>infernal</em>, about him that made Jungkook's guts twist in unease.</p>
<p>Fallen from grace, corrupted by his twisted desires and driven by a need to see people <em>suffer, </em>the boy smiled viciously, sadistically, at him in the dim glow of the lanterns before he suddenly reached down, hoisting something off the ground.</p>
<p><em>Someone</em>, Jungkook realized with a start, a sad pile of limbs and sticky blood, the frail body of what was his little brother looking mangled, mutilated, <em>impaled </em>as it was pushed towards him like a gruesome trophy, Jungkook catching it more out of surprise than anything else.</p>
<p>He didn't dare to look at the heap of flesh in his arms, but of course his morbid curiosity got the better of him, a quick glance more than enough to make bile rise in his throat at the sight of so much red painting Jeongin's figure.</p>
<p>It felt unreal to see the blood flow out of him at such a steady pace, to feel it running over his clammy hands relentlessly, not having a chance of slowing down with the massive hole in his chest and the ripped pieces of skin littering his body.</p>
<p>V had all but torn into the boy, bone and marrow visible as a horrifying proof of the horrors inflicted on him, and his entrails were splattered on the ground in front of Jungkook's feet, seeming even more repulsing in the artificial light of the lamps above.</p>
<p>The sight was like a punch to the gut, nausea building up just below the surface, and his traumatized brain did the only thing it seemed to be capable of, concluding that he was stuck in a particularly nasty nightmare as Jeongin's body slowly escaped his grasp.</p>
<p>Right.</p>
<p>This was... this wasn't real.</p>
<p>None of it was.</p>
<p>He could vaguely discern V approaching him leisurely, calmly, the pressure of a blade against his throat making his breath stop, but it didn't matter because this wasn't even real. It wasn't.</p>
<p>''This is... a dream...''</p>
<p>His voice sounded weak and far away, as if he wasn't the one speaking with it, and his mind entered a strange haze of dissociation, tuning out the sweat dripping down his body, the pain at his throat, the cool flush on his skin, everything else about this gruesome scene that was surrounding him.</p>
<p>This wasn't real.</p>
<p>''Because Jeongin played so long with Jisung today, he will sleep in tomorrow...''</p>
<p>There was a sharp, precise movement across his neck, splatters of blood falling like drops of rain around him, staining his clothes, his skin, his face, and he briefly thought he was sputtering for air, but maybe that was just an illusion as well.</p>
<p>''Tomorrow I'll nag Jeongin just because he used up way too much peanut butter again...''</p>
<p>Excruciating pain exploded in his stomach, a whetted blade penetrating his skin, slicing its way through his internal organs and coming up through his back again, the guttural scream escaping him a token of his agony, as was the blood that welled up in his mouth.</p>
<p>Metallic. Warm. Suffocating.</p>
<p>Tears sprung to his eyes and he choked, desperate to make any sort of sound, take a last precious inhale, cling to his life just a second longer, but his body was unwilling to listen to him, shutting down from the shock of the impact.</p>
<p>He didn't register the blade being pulled back, merely the pitiful sight of his guts torn out of his body with the movement, painting the stones an even darker shade of crimson red, before he crumbled to the ground.</p>
<p>He was barely able to make out the faintest glance of sapphire blue eyes at the end of the alley with his deteriorating vision, an equally blue flame seeming to emerge from Jisung's left eye.</p>
<p>But who knew if this was a dream too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung stepped into the alley just as Jungkook's eyes slipped shut, confidence and professionalism lining his path, making the stagnated soul in front of him look up, red eyes meeting blue ones.</p>
<p>''Someone else?'', the boy cackled, the sound of which was unpleasant and loud, reverberating as the only noise under the blanket of silence the city coated itself in. ''I haven't even signed my work yet, but if you want to die <em>that </em>badly...''</p>
<p>He lunged at Jisung, his blade glimmering in the moonlight, emitting a dangerous, bloodthirsty aura, but before Jisung could get speared, he let himself fall to the side, the movement disturbing the raven on his shoulder.</p>
<p>In a motion practiced and perfected over thousands of missions, it flew off Jisung's shoulder, a flash of black feathers exploding over him, setting the air on fire, and suddenly, a metal sword fell right into the boy's waiting hands, his trusty companion having transformed into a weapon.</p>
<p>Wasting no time, he charged at the stagnated soul from the side, a powerful, well-placed slash severing one of V's arms, drawing an agonizing wail of pain from him.</p>
<p>He whipped around in mad fury, though stopped whatever he had been about to do upon noticing Jisung's eye flame, a look of realization dawning on his features.</p>
<p>''You're a black star!''</p>
<p>Jisung tightened his grip on his sword in reply, slashing at the stagnated soul once more, dodging the boy's attempts to get a hold on him as drops of blue and black blood rained down on him.</p>
<p>Blue and black blood that told of a soul belonging in hell.</p>
<p>Apart from shedding his humanity, V had lost all characteristics that had made him human in the first place, now nothing more than a shadow luring people to their death, a ruthless monster striking fear into the hearts of many.</p>
<p>''This city is mine!'', he hissed, his entire being seemingly vibrating with contempt as he made an effort to stab Jisung, uncoordinated and amateurish.</p>
<p>Nothing more than a boy, just as Jisung himself was.</p>
<p>''I kill people and I let them live! As is the circle of life!''</p>
<p>Concentrating on the boy's form, on the stagnated soul's core that had created this illusion, Jisung could conclude once again that this soul wasn't worthy of ascending to heaven, the sins committed too heavy, too heartless for there to be any other alternative than an eternity of condemnation.</p>
<p>Without a single moment of hesitation, without any sliver of doubt on his mind, Jisung drove his weapon into the boy's body, putting all his strength into making this the finishing blow.</p>
<p>The stagnated soul sputtered, choked under the forceful, violent attack, a stroke of black and blue paint on an empty canvas before it dissolved into sparks of black light that drew trails into the never-ceasing nightsky above.</p>
<p>A soul set for a path straight to hell.</p>
<p>Jisung watched the light's pattern with a blank expression, his eye flame dying down and the sword in his hand transforming back into the familiar figure of his partner, the guy arching his back and groaning before he knelt down next to the two boys on the ground.</p>
<p>Jungkook had managed to peel his eyes back open by now, a somewhat drowsy expression and a slight haze proving that he wasn't really receptive, but this was to be expected, so his partner lightly shook the boy in an attempt to wake him up.</p>
<p>As much as that was possible.</p>
<p>Jungkook already knew, there was no chance he didn't, but the memory was a suppressed epiphany clouding up his mind as his gaze focused a little more.</p>
<p>In front of his eyes, the city he had grown up in slowly dissolved into light, a fleeting phantom, a glimmer of normality gone with it, and from where Jisung stood, he could see that Jungkook knew.</p>
<p>Knew of the young man <em>Kim Taehyung</em>, the fascination for murder he had harbored, his relentless killing streak every full moon, his work signed with the color of his victims' blood.</p>
<p>Knew of the abrupt end to the murders, a killer caught red-handed after his 60<sup>th</sup> murder and led towards his certain demise on the electric chair, a fate far too forgiving for his nature.</p>
<p>Of course his soul hadn't been able to ascend to heaven, though it also hadn't immediately descended to hell either, instead thriving in the peculiar realm known as the <em>Threshold</em> where he had made up a phantom city in which the souls of his victims were to reside for all eternity.</p>
<p>So he could kill them again and again.</p>
<p>But Jungkook already knew that.</p>
<p>''Ah... Right...''</p>
<p>A silent tear made its slow descent down his cheek, but he had no strength or will to wipe it away, staring at the disintegrating illusion with painful memories, snippets of his last moments tormenting his mind, the disappointment of having failed to protect his little brother reigning strong in his own head again.</p>
<p>He remembered the gleam of the blade in the moonlight, warm skin under his hands that cooled way too quickly, breaths that evened out into unconsciousness and his own tormented sobs spilling from his lips at the feeling of his brother's body going limp.</p>
<p>It was merely a useless recollection, but it hurt nonetheless and he drew a shuddering breath.</p>
<p>''Jeongin and I are already dead.''</p>
<p>In his usual apathetic manner, Jisung watched Jungkook's body quiver in grief and barely suppressed pain, just another illusion provided via the means of this world as he pulled Jeongin into his chest, clearly surprised at the tiny laugh the younger let out.</p>
<p>''It's fine, hyung'', he assured, sounding awfully serene and lively for someone who had just gotten murdered for a repeated amount of time as he tilted his head up to meet Jungkook's gaze, smiling cheekily.</p>
<p>Overcome by fondness, Jungkook threaded his fingers through his brother's hair, trying not to choke up or look too closely at the blood that was painting his skin red, not wanting to ruin this indeterminate moment of time where nothing existed except the love shared between siblings even beyond the grave.</p>
<p>Even with the illusion falling apart around them, more and more pieces of buildings, the landscape, dissolving into light, it didn't matter as long as he held Jeongin in his arms.</p>
<p>''It's fine'', the younger repeated, with a certainty completely incomprehensible in their situation. ''I got to see you again and play with Jisung hyung. It was fun.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And with such a statement weighing heavily in the air, the two boys dissolved into white light, apparitions no longer holding a meaning in the realm they had been trapped in.</p>
<p>All that remained of their existence were the cores of their souls, two spheres of radiant blue light left behind on the ground, completely intact, as opposed to the soul he had just destroyed.</p>
<p>The next destination for innocent souls like them was the purification hall at the Central Tower where they would be cleansed before being free to embark on their journey to Eden, finding eternal peace in the heavens above.</p>
<p>Shattering corrupted souls and collecting innocent ones was normal business for Jisung, nothing he hadn't done a dozen times before, and still...</p>
<p>
  <em>It was fun.</em>
</p>
<p>With somewhat shaking fingers, he picked the spheres up, their warmth settling into his skin as he examined them, recalling Jeongin's words with a growing fascination, gnawing and urgent, yet innocence in its purest form.</p>
<p>''It was... fun?''</p>
<p>The words were unfamiliar on his tongue, heavy and at the same time weightless, especially with the scenery around him fading into nothingness, a familiar white canvas stretching out into all directions and the floor beneath him changing back to checkered tiles.</p>
<p>The default appearance of this world.</p>
<p>''Did you say something, Jisung?'', his partner inquired, curious eyes meeting Jisung's entranced ones, though the moment was lost as the younger turned around.</p>
<p>He vaguely registered the pendant around his neck dissolving into light like everything else, but paid it no mind, setting off into the endless whiteness with his partner following close behind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''No. Let's go, Yoongi hyung.''</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. [Scene 2]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Shhh, don't tell Bine I uploaded, let her find out herself</p>
<p>Anyway, this chapter was hard to edit. Like... very hard. </p>
<p>Also, I feel like this chapter warrants a //tw, so make sure you read the tags before you proceed. Thank you.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>''Here we are.''</p>
<p>Heavy steps on the checkered floor coming to an abrupt stop, the black haired boy let his sharp gaze wander over the mirage in front of him.</p>
<p>A tall, imposing structure bearing resemblance to a company building had sprouted out of nowhere, willed into existence by yet another contrite, burdened soul undeserving of going to either heaven or hell.</p>
<p>Tinted glass windows reflected the whiteness of the Threshold, blinding him, yet he didn't avert his gaze from the facade, letting it trail over the well-kept structure as if searching for something.</p>
<p>Next to him, his partner furrowed his eyes at the building, trying to determine whether it was safe going in, but the boy had a different goal in mind, a smirk pulling the corners of his lips up.</p>
<p>Mischief sparkled in his emerald green eyes, playful anticipation feeding right into the energy surging through his body, wanting to escape to somewhere.</p>
<p>He was <em>excited.</em></p>
<p>''Do you think <em>he</em> will be here too?''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was something inherently eerie about the building Jisung had stepped foot into.</p>
<p>It seemed to be some kind of entertainment company building, enough proof given with the practice rooms on every floor, the pretentious lettering and the company's logo – a ring with sharp edges that looked sort of like a saw – all over the walls and the ceiling, even an organic cafe and a diner, deserted as it might be.</p>
<p>No one was around, not a soul to be seen roaming the hallways, occupying the practice rooms or chatting their time away over a snack, but still, every single room within the building was crafted meticulously by the stagnated soul that had created this place, decorated after its wishes.</p>
<p>The fish tank on the second floor with the colorful fish flitting around, the pictures of famous bands on the wall, the dusty tables in the cafe, it was all uncharacteristically detailed, the stagnated soul having most likely spent a great portion of their life within these walls for them to remember them this well.</p>
<p>The sheer desolation ruling here was a first indication as to the burden weighing heavily on them, though Jisung could only guess the greater consequences he would no doubt stumble over as he carefully moved around yet another empty practice room towards where Yoongi was crouching.</p>
<p>His steps made a hollow echo on the linoleum floor, his reflection in the mirror closely following his movements, but his own gaze was drawn by the lone bag in the corner of the room, placed so consciously that it was suspicious.</p>
<p>It was the first proof of a person existing inside the building, a hint of someone claiming this space in the calmest way possible, simply announcing their presence without any malicious intentions.</p>
<p>Strange.</p>
<p>''Nothing interesting'', Yoongi commented, shrugging as he emptied the bag, a simple notebook, a few pencils, lyric sheets and dozens of water bottles clattering to the floor.</p>
<p>Even though Jisung knew nothing about the normalcy of such things as a black star, he still knew all about them, having been created with the knowledge required of him to carry out his duties.</p>
<p>He had a grasp of concepts such as what this studio might have looked like back in the earthly realm, with trainees all about the place, rehearsing dance routines, scrabbling lyrics down and recording their respective lines for a song.</p>
<p>It was unfamiliar, yet strangely normal to think back to those times he hadn't even experienced, imagining boys and girls in front of these mirrors in concentrated synchronicity, sweat dripping down their flushed bodies and energy surging through their veins.</p>
<p>Dwelling on it for too long only made him more aware of the slight chill in the room, so he dropped his line of thought, instead feeling the inside of his coat pocket, the two souls collected prior warm on his skin, their pulsing a steady reminder that they had to visit the Central Tower soon.</p>
<p>''We'll need to search for the stagnated soul elsewhere'', he muttered, watching Yoongi rummage through the bag for a little longer before turning around, catching his reflection moving just a second too late for it to be believable.</p>
<p>It was a slight staggering, an insecurity brought to the surface by hesitating at the wrong moment, laced with panic about being found out, though it was all too fleeting, bordering on simply being made up by imagination.</p>
<p>In a world that could be manipulated at a whim, it wasn't really worth mulling over anyway, yet his gaze still lingered on his reflection's dyed hair for a moment longer.</p>
<p>It was a strawberry blonde that looked both out of place and perfectly fitting on him, the image in the mirror most likely a phantom of his past life, a fleeting product of his brain.</p>
<p>An unsure smile crept up on the boy's features, in no way mirroring Jisung's own blank expression, and for a moment, he simply stared at his reflection, trying to make sense of the familiar figure that seemed so foreign to him.</p>
<p>He saw the boy's fingers curling into the material of his flimsy shirt, his mouth opening and closing as if he was making an attempt to speak, though no words came out, their two worlds too disconnected, too different for them to understand each other.</p>
<p>Shaking his head, Jisung briefly closed his eyes to collect himself, the boy with the blond hair gone when he dared to look again, in his place merely Jisung's own reflection, gazing at him as blankly as he did before he turned to leave.</p>
<p>Stepping out into the bright hallway felt unreal, a faint flicker above him talking to him in a language he couldn't comprehend, his hair ruffled from wind that shouldn't exist in the building, and without even being aware of it, he was pushed towards the stairs, urged to explore yet another floor.</p>
<p>Seemingly endless, floor after floor the staircase spiraled upwards, a torn poster adorning every single story, sporting letters as if telling a story from back in the days.</p>
<p>
  <em>Why take the stairs when you have a hellevator?</em>
</p>
<p>Holding no grasp on the meaning of those words, he took to disregarding them, taking a first step, the fluttering of wings behind him a sure indicator that Yoongi had shifted back into a raven.</p>
<p>The light weight on his left shoulder was a welcome companion as he made his slow ascend, testing the waters with every breath in his quiet surroundings, continuously extending his senses outward for any sign of hostility.</p>
<p>He reached nothing except an underlying uneasiness, steadily growing the closer to the next floor he got, the stairs a trail in disarray that led nowhere and everywhere at once, feeling like a dead end even with the never-ending steps in front of him.</p>
<p>Mind set on going higher and higher, he registered the stiff figure stood at the top, casting an unmoving shadow over the staircase, not threatening per se, yet unnerving as the lights flickered again, an electric buzz meant to scare.</p>
<p>Yoongi merely scoffed at the attempt, Jisung himself also fairly unaffected, instead picking up his pace to reach the top, eyes never leaving the ominous shadow.</p>
<p>Motionless in much the same way that a doll was, he was only mildly surprised when that proved to be reality, an actual mannequin awaiting him at the end of the stairs.</p>
<p>It stood tall, intimidating, intentionally placed by someone, providing both an unconventional greeting and a firm warning as he glanced down the hallway ahead of him, spotting dozens of mannequins all neatly lined up along the wall.</p>
<p>The uncomfortable feeling that sat nestled in the corner of his mind intensified, fueled further by a sudden crack of what sounded like thunder, but was the product of one of the mannequins clattering to the floor in a heap, no visible cause given.</p>
<p>''The stagnated soul is close by'', was the audible answer to his unspoken and unthought thoughts, and he nodded, gaze moving over the still scene in front of him.</p>
<p>Contemplating, waiting.</p>
<p>Seconds dragging past without any meaning, without anything happening except the insistent flickering, so Jisung found it safe to continue his way, slowly, carefully, prepared to get jumped by faceless marionettes.</p>
<p>He knew Yoongi was keeping a close eye on his surroundings as well, tense and on edge, ready to jump into action if needed, yet they were not disturbed upon passing the humanoid obstacles, wordlessly guided towards the end of the hallway.</p>
<p>There were suspicious creaks every now and then, like an old door opening and closing, though the noise was but a background ambience, fading in and out as it pleased, never lingering too long.</p>
<p>What <em>did</em> linger however was the faint melody wafting over to them, an arrangement put together of beats and tunes that had Jisung striving to get closer, recognizing something vaguely familiar about the sounds reaching his ears.</p>
<p>He didn't know anything about it, yet he still knew, as if he possessed a memory tied to this place, no matter how impossible that was.</p>
<p>He passed a few doors to his sides, unseeing mannequins observing his steps, but refraining from interfering even as they seemed to close in on him, inching closer and closer in the narrow hallway.</p>
<p>He paid them no mind, instead focusing on the music that steadily increased in volume the further he went, though it wasn't until he was stood in front of the last door on the right that he was able to discern a voice chanting along, concentrated, completely engrossed.</p>
<p>''Direct approach?'', Yoongi inquired, his known affinity for keeping missions short and simple having shaped the nature of their engagements over time, resulting in less watching, less waiting, and instead more fighting, more brutality.</p>
<p>As was the work of a black star.</p>
<p>Still, in this particular moment, for this mission, Jisung chose to engage defensively, knocking on the door before pushing against it, the wood creaking as it swung open, a surge of hot air rushing past him, mingling with the icy atmosphere in the hallway.</p>
<p>Beyond that door, more mannequins caught his eye, once more lined up on the walls, piling on top of each other in the corners or slouching in a few armchairs that were placed in the middle, right in front of a table full of producing equipment.</p>
<p>To say the entire room was stuffed full of mannequins didn't even begin to describe the sheer mass of stiff, artificial limbs and skin, unseeing eyes, and faceless faces he was graced with upon entering, Yoongi actually sucking in a partly startled, partly shocked breath at the scene.</p>
<p>Maybe the most unintelligible piece of the disturbing display was the boy calmly sitting amidst the mannequins, headphones blasting music and gaze locked on the display of his laptop in utter concentration as he tinkered with a song.</p>
<p>He was too engrossed in his work to notice Jisung right away, singing along to the melody, nimble fingers adjusting a beat here and the timing there as he was completely oblivious to his existence as a stagnated soul.</p>
<p>Such a moment of vulnerability was precious, vital even in his duty to bring salvation to those plagued by their lives, but it was gone all too soon with a flicker of the boy's eyes, surprise turning to pleasant glee as he noticed Jisung.</p>
<p>He seemed warm, friendly despite the unusual surroundings, maybe a few years older than Jisung himself, and even if he was young enough for his death to weigh heavily on his soul, it was questionable if that was the only reason he was in the Threshold right now.</p>
<p>''Hey! Welcome to Chan's room!'', the boy – Chan – greeted with a smile, not bothering to take off his headphones as he turned to Jisung, to all intents and purposes without making a move to attack him.</p>
<p>It was up in the air if he even knew that the younger was a black star, his approachable man-of-the-people face giving nothing away, a facade he wore with enough confidence to make it appear believable.</p>
<p>''It must be your first time at the company, right?''</p>
<p>Jisung never spoke in these kinds of casual conversations, only bits and pieces when it was necessary, having no need to entertain stagnated souls with his words, so he let his gaze aimlessly drift around the room while Yoongi carried the talk.</p>
<p>''Yes, we were just passing by. Are you the only person around here?''</p>
<p>In the Threshold, it wasn't considered strange for a raven to speak, neither did stagnated souls question the extent of their illusions, and Yoongi played around with these concepts accordingly, sometimes speaking, sometimes keeping quiet.</p>
<p>It was a push-and-pull dynamic, as everything in this world pushed and pulled on the strings of reality and illusion anyway, and Jisung himself was merely living in the steady sway, using it to accomplish his missions.</p>
<p>''Want me to show you around?'', Chan asked, completely dismissing Yoongi's question as if he had never even heard it, the twitch of black feathers from the corner of his eyes telling Jisung that his partner didn't take kindly to such thing.</p>
<p>Prolonging an inevitable conflict with trivial matters wasn't exactly how he preferred to operate, though with the orders given to always wait until the stagnated soul engaged of their own volition, there wasn't much he could do except relent.</p>
<p>''We've already seen most of it'', he tried to argue, but was cut off as Chan shut his laptop and rose to his feet, eager to help the lost travellers and probably seeking companionship, an escape from his desolate existence as he strode towards the door.</p>
<p>''There's so many places to see, let's not waste any time!''</p>
<p>Yoongi sighed in irritation, yet gave Jisung with a nod towards Chan the okay to follow the older, slow, monotone steps contrasted by energetic, happy ones.</p>
<p>Chan didn't seem to mind the mannequins decorating the hallway, didn't spare them a single glance, didn't wait even a second before cheerfully continuing their conversation as if this was a perfectly normal situation.</p>
<p>Between flickering lights and invisible creaking doors a rather morbid contrast, but Jisung wasn't feeling unsettled, treading behind with his usual blank expression.</p>
<p>''This is the company I signed with'', Chan explained from a few meters ahead, no care or attention given to the question whether Jisung was keeping up.</p>
<p>Lost in his own world and with music booming out of his headphones, every step seemed like a little dance routine perfected over an indetermined time of loneliness.</p>
<p>''I trained for seven years to debut, but in the end, I was only able to enjoy it for a year before I died.''</p>
<p>A stagnated soul that knew that he was dead.</p>
<p>Jisung's steps faltered for a second, but he caught himself in time to see Chan disappear down the staircase, his shadow dancing across the steps as if to taunt Jisung.</p>
<p>Quickening his pace, he followed the older, taking several steps at a time before he saw Chan's shadow hurry into one of the studios on the right, the same one him and Yoongi had been in before.</p>
<p>The mirrors were fogged up when Jisung entered this time, his reflection hidden behind a veil of steam that Chan used to leisurely draw pictures on the glass, a story told that only he could grasp.</p>
<p>It was incomprehensible.</p>
<p>''I know I'm dead.''</p>
<p>Jisung make out the older's expression from where he stood, but it wasn't difficult to pinpoint the sad smile that was almost audible in his statement, mourning and understanding at the same time.</p>
<p>''And I know this is the afterlife.''</p>
<p>Yoongi huffed, something about the action drawing Chan's attention, for he stopped doodling on the glass and looked back over his shoulder, puzzled, prompting.</p>
<p>''Not exactly'', he corrected, drawing a breath to unpack the heavy load that had to follow his comment. ''This is a world inbetween heaven and hell, a place where burdened souls like you end up to—''</p>
<p>''But this place is so great that I feel like I'm still alive!'', Chan suddenly interrupted, his face brightening as he dashed towards the door, obviously having thought of another place he wanted to show them.</p>
<p>Once more, he hadn't paid attention to what Yoongi had said, his partner hissing in barely suppressed fury.</p>
<p>Thoughts began to fester in Jisung's mind upon being led through the company, being shown all of Chan's favorite spots, starting from the cafe with the organic food that apparently sold the world's best ice cream, the dance studio that was allegedly haunted and the recording room on the twelfth floor from where the view was breathtaking.</p>
<p>There was a story to every little crack in the wall, every dance studio holding individual meaning to Chan and every food worth fawning over, but with the older sharing those moments of his life so openly came a weird foreboding that it couldn't have been <em>all </em>that perfect if Chan had ended up here.</p>
<p>The reality of a peaceful and fulfilling life was unheard of when it came to stagnated souls, and the way Chan spoke with such ease, unable to stop himself from breaking into little rants was suspicious, so Jisung garnered his thoughts, intending to question the older, but not finding a good enough angle to start.</p>
<p>''Is no one else here?'', he settled on saying while Chan was explaining the set-up of the recording equipment with grand enthusiasm, not stopping to consider the question, if he had even heard it at all.</p>
<p>It was a useless question anyway, seeing how they met no one on their way, hallways still and deserted, places that would normally be full of people instead occupied with mannequins.</p>
<p>There was something sinister about their presence, an omen he couldn't yet grasp, a representation of a traumatic event, but it was impossible to identify the dreadful feeling at the edge of his consciousness as they came to a stop in front of a door on the recording floor.</p>
<p>''Oh, you gotta look at this'', Chan interrupted his baseless rant to gesture at the door, proud and still beaming as he pushed it open. ''This is my space.''</p>
<p>The interior didn't vary all that much from any other recording studio, equipment and displays set up on a table on the right, a comfortable couch on the left, instruments lined up at the wall and cozy lights giving the entire room a warm flair if it weren't for the single mannequin seated in the far corner.</p>
<p>However, what really stood out to Jisung was the disarray of cables and cords on the floor, dozens of black snakes twisting like they had a mind of their own, and if sensing his hesitation, Chan suddenly gave him a forceful push, sending him staggering inside.</p>
<p>His feet caught on the hazardous obstacles, the foreign sensation of cables scraping past his skin sending a shiver down his spine, the floor beneath him shifting and wriggling.</p>
<p>It was something like quicksand when the cables reached towards him, climbing up his legs like snakes, winding around him as if to secure him to a certain spot, and he grasped for Yoongi, feeling his partner shift form into his trusted weapon.</p>
<p>The weight of his sword laid heavy in his hands, but he didn't spare it any thought, striking a cord that had tried to restrain his left hand, the sad pieces of metal falling back to the floor, unmoving and swallowed by other cords.</p>
<p>Jisung wasn't sure where one ended and the other began, the ground below him practically entirely black and shifting to the point that he had difficulty keeping his balance.</p>
<p>The feeling of the scratchy material scraping past his bare skin was an irritating one and he raised his arm again to deliver another blow that would get the sentient cables to back off.</p>
<p>Before he could bring his sword down though, it was yanked out of his hand by Chan, a glimpse over his shoulder showing the older with a triumphant grin on his face, a flick of his wrist sending the weapon right into the mess of moving black, out of reach for Jisung.</p>
<p>Startled by the impact on the hard floor, Yoongi abruptly switched back to his human form, attempting to get up before the cables could get a grip on him, but failing as one wound around his arm and two around his legs, preventing him from moving.</p>
<p>A curse escaped him and even though Jisung tried to do something to help, he was pretty much rendered helpless when a cable shot up from the floor, wrapping itself around one of his wrists and tugging him down with such a force that he nearly lost his balance for real.</p>
<p>He struggled to release his wrist with his other hand, Chan laughing behind him fueling his efforts, but he was barely able to dislodge the cable a little when his other wrist was suddenly caught as well, the strain that followed making him aware that he could no longer move his hands.</p>
<p>Just to be sure, he yanked at his restraints, but they didn't budge the slightest, tightening on his skin as if they were trying to choke the life out of him.</p>
<p>''What the hell?!'', Yoongi yelled from his place on the ground, having difficulty to assemble the concentration to shift forms again. ''What are you doing?!''</p>
<p>In usual fashion, Chan ignored the question, stepping into the room as well, the mess of cables making way for him as he aimed for the laptop that sat on the table, a few experienced clicks bringing him to the file he wanted.</p>
<p>''Actually, I lied'', he suddenly spoke up, voice wavering with an unspoken burden, an underlying pain swollen to an ugly bruise, and if Jisung had been free to move, he would have seen this as his sign to engage and clean up the stagnated soul.</p>
<p>But he wasn't and he couldn't.</p>
<p>''This place was never great.''</p>
<p>His hand was shaking as he withdrew it from the keyboard, part anger, part despair radiating off him in waves, gaze locked on the display that seemed to hold the proof of his misery.</p>
<p>''They didn't need a reason to make my life miserable.''</p>
<p>He turned the laptop so Jisung was able to make out just what he had stared at, pictures flashing past him in a rapid diashow that had him struggling to register any of the individual photos.</p>
<p>There were torn and burned lyric sheets, scratched and cut up CD's, a completely destroyed laptop display, cracks like a spiderweb extending outwards, hours upon hours of hard work reduced to nothing.</p>
<p>Grinning faces with teeth like fangs, ugly, condescending and voiceless laughter as they grabbed at bruised and ripped skin, speckles of blood on the ground below telling of the torment already experienced.</p>
<p>The flashing of metal bars slick with red liquid, the scenic tranquility of a beach disrupted by frantic splashing in the water, the image of a boy curled up in pain, cradling his hand to his chest.</p>
<p>Strands of charred hair in the sink, a hand carefully carding through what was left, trying to determine the damage while simultaneously looking at the burn marks right below the collarbone, round and stemming from the butt of a cigarette.</p>
<p>And then there was—</p>
<p>An inferno of flames filling out the entire display, blazing fury summoned straight from hell.</p>
<p>And—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The staircase.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For the first time in so long, Jisung felt a cold terror taking hold of him at the sight, invading his heart, making his head spin as he struggled to breathe, his lungs completely giving up on him and leaving him as a sputtering mess.</p>
<p>His thoughts pounded against his skull, throbbing and burning in time with his accelerating heartbeat and every single muscle inside his body screamed at him with a need to <em>get out of here</em>, the desire primal as much as it was desperate.</p>
<p>He was vaguely aware of Chan talking again, of Yoongi's worried voice from somewhere in front of him, but his mind was swaying between shattered concentration and suppressed panic, unable to focus on either of the noises as he strained against his restraints.</p>
<p>His growing agitation fed right into his otherworldly power, his eye flame igniting in a flash and freeing a surge of power that shot through his veins like fire, the cables binding him all but breaking off with a vigorous motion of his hands.</p>
<p>Chan jumped back in surprise, but Jisung paid him no mind, stalking over to Yoongi and using his eye powers to will him back into weapon form again, his body still going into overdrive and his mind whirling like never before.</p>
<p>Grabbing his sword, he charged at Chan, movements messy and uncoordinated enough for the older to evade him, the attack merely slicing the laptop in half.</p>
<p>Jisung clenched his teeth in annoyance about having missed, his vision slightly going out of focus and hands trembling, steadying himself for the next attack while Chan took a cautious step back, seeming amazed rather than frightened at Jisung's power.</p>
<p>''You're a black star, huh? I know all about you.''</p>
<p>Heaving, shaking, lost for breath, the younger glared without any real bite, unable to concentrate on anything that wasn't the nauseating feeling creeping up on him.</p>
<p>He felt <em>sick</em>.</p>
<p>''You're like a cleaner for the Threshold. You defeat stagnated souls and take them to be purified, so they can ascend to heaven.''</p>
<p>Jisung made no move to reply, simply because it wasn't needed, instead gripping the handle of his sword tighter, willing his vision to focus on the older.</p>
<p>He swung his sword again in an attempt to hit Chan, no aim and no real strength backing up his strike, making it completely harmless, the edge of the weapon only scraping the table.</p>
<p>It wasn't even anywhere <em>near </em>his target.</p>
<p>''Take it easy'', Chan half-heartedly consoled him, stuck between sounding mocking and genuinely wanting to comfort. ''Nobody expects anything here.''</p>
<p>The words sounded truer than they were.</p>
<p>For a moment, silence reigned between them, Jisung struggling to get a proper grasp on himself, his spiraling thoughts, his racing heart out of control while the older sat down on the backrest of his couch, head in his hands as if this was merely a normal conversation.</p>
<p>''You know what the thing about bullying is?''</p>
<p>He continued as if they had never been interrupted in the first place, as if Jisung wasn't literally after his throat right now, the ridiculous indifference gnawing at his mind, making him even more restless, more riled up.</p>
<p>He hated this.</p>
<p>''They'll pick on you continuously, day after day scraping away at your sanity, hurting you physically, hurting you mentally, until you become boring and they stop. You continue to feel the aftermath of the torment, the nasty scars, the hateful words, but to everyone else, it's like nothing ever happened.''</p>
<p>Chan's eye twitched, fingers curling into the leather of his couch as he stared at something Jisung couldn't see, something that existed so far in the past that it had vanished into thin air.</p>
<p>He felt sick. So endlessly sick.</p>
<p>''Shortly after they stopped torturing me, there was a fire in the company building and I died, along with many other trainees.''</p>
<p>A deliberate pause, a chance for Jisung to express sympathy, but there was no use in harboring emotions for a stagnated soul like this, even if his stomach twisted at the story, a strange and new sensation he had never seen use for festering inside of him.</p>
<p>''There was no one who mourned me. Like the bullying I endured, I was just forgotten.''</p>
<p>The vulnerable sincerity in Chan's words touched some part of his soul, his body appearing to slow down as his heart rate stabilized, his thoughts clearing up, leaving his sense of duty to consume him.</p>
<p>His eye flame extinguished, drawing upon its power too strenuous, but he didn't need it anyway, his next move becoming obvious when his vision sharpened, gaze instantly falling on Chan's headphones, ear-piercing music turned up to maximum volume.</p>
<p>Ah. Of course.</p>
<p>No wonder it seemed like Chan was just talking to himself.</p>
<p>Concentration returning, he charged at the older with his eyes set on the prize, a skillful, well-aimed blow to Chan's head knocking his headphones right off.</p>
<p>They clattered to the floor, broken and useless, finally ceasing to blare obnoxiously loud music into Chan's ears, ceasing to block out what he was so desperately trying to make himself forget.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You will end up alone.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like a deer caught in headlights, Chan looked at him, fragile, petrified, afraid of the reality that awaited him, afraid of leaving the illusion of solace he had created in his mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''If I was your friend, I would have killed myself too.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shutting off his heart from the harsh words that were thrown his way, fleeing into music and producing in order to keep himself occupied, these habits had followed him into the Threshold as well, keeping him sane even if he hadn't been sane to begin with.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''No one will ever love you; how could they?''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung understood Chan's type.</p>
<p>The type to withstand physical violence, bruises and cuts and scars that would fade over the course of time, still eternalized on his skin in blue and black ink, but serving as a source of strength for the future.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''The world would be a better place without you.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Words, on the other end, cut deeper than any physical abuse was able to, inflicted agony on an undying soul that never forgot the scathing contempt that had been thrown its way, less with blunt insults and instead with crushing statements meant to hurt, to remember.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You're too fucked up to deserve happiness.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That was the kind of treatment, the kind of torture that hurt Chan, made him writhe in misery, had him doubting himself.</p>
<p>That was what followed him into his dreams and into his waking life with no chance of ever leaving, burdening his soul so much that it warranted an eternity in the Threshold.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You deserve to lose everyone.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung watched Chan crumble to the floor at the onslaught of hurtful comments attacking his ears all at once, repressed memories of condescending laughter and physical violence mixing in, submerging all other thoughts and extending into his entire being.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Go ahead and kill yourself.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I can hear them... I can hear them, I can hear them, I can hear them...''</p>
<p>Like a mantra, he repeated the words over and over, hoping to drown out the voices booming from everywhere around him, steadily growing louder, more demanding, more cruel.</p>
<p>Jisung could hear everything they were saying, some phrases rousing memories of his own, pulling painfully at the edges of his being, but his mind was stable, as it should be, so he was rather unaffected by the words drumming against his ears, meaningless chatter made from an apparition unable to faze him.</p>
<p>Chan however was very much affected, looking to be on the verge of a breakdown as he pressed his hands to his ears, distressed sobs fighting their way out of his throat, choking the words he might have wanted to say, the defenses he had never gotten past his lips.</p>
<p>Crouched down like this, shaking in terror and trying to chase the bliss his music had granted him, Jisung could clearly see that he was suffering, a quality shared by every stagnated soul in the Threshold, even the ones where it wasn't apparent at first glance.</p>
<p>''Chan hyung.''</p>
<p>Chan's teary gaze flitted up to where Jisung towered over him, sword in hand and his usual blank expression on his face, merely another breath taken before he drove the weapon into the older's chest with all the elegance and certainty required of a black star.</p>
<p>Sobs dying on his tongue, Chan stilled, tensed in a mix of shock and a contorted sense of relief as the haunting echoes in the room sizzled out, creating a peaceful tranquility only broken by a soft whisper from Jisung.</p>
<p>''Chan hyung, I will remember you.''</p>
<p>He didn't fully know himself why he let the sentence slip, yet Chan seemed to be perfectly aware, a mocking smile playing on his lips as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.</p>
<p>''What, are you feeling sorry for me?'', he scoffed, though it was all in good spirit judging from the fresh stream of tears rolling down his cheek and the way his smile grew a little weaker. ''Just shut up, okay?''</p>
<p>He let out a raspy breath, pain overtaking his features, yet he didn't stop smiling even as he closed his eyes, seeming to be fighting to say just one more thing, just one last sentence that had plagued him for so long.</p>
<p>''Jisung—''</p>
<p>It was the only word he managed to get out, his last attempt to be heard, but it was an effort in vain as he started dissolving into light, the building following right after, a phantom incapable of upholding itself without the stagnated soul that had created it.</p>
<p>All that remained was Chan's soul, a sphere of blue light ready for cleansing, yet before Jisung had a chance to pick it up, an onset of nausea hit him and he stumbled, the only thing keeping him from crashing to the floor being Yoongi shifting back into human form and catching him.</p>
<p>''Jisung? You okay?''</p>
<p>Jisung mumbled something in reply, clinging to Yoongi in order to stop his vision from spinning again, a sudden headache descending on him and forcing him to close his eyes for a moment.</p>
<p>The sound of steps on the checkered floor abruptly roused him from the gentle darkness though, and he could make out a figure marching towards them, a boy with raven black hair and emerald green eyes.</p>
<p>Was this... another black star?</p>
<p>The grace the boy held himself with suggested it, as did the impressive scythe that was slung over his shoulder, the blade sparkling in the endless white that stretched around them, and he was absolutely sure when the boy spotted Chan's soul on the ground, his face lighting up and his steps becoming a little quicker, the black star under his eye clearly discernible now.</p>
<p>''Wow, thanks a lot for your work'', was the first sentence out of his mouth as soon as he had come close enough, a slight, rather exaggerated bow indicating his thankfulness even though Jisung was unsure what exactly he was so grateful for.</p>
<p>Strangely flustered, he attempted to stand straight in front of the stranger with his limbs heavy and clumsy and exhaustion weighing on his mind, but granted, he only managed to keep his balance for five seconds before Yoongi had to support him again.</p>
<p>''Jeez, what's wrong with you?'', his partner sighed, quietly enough for only the two of them to understand, but Jisung merely shook his head, an indication that he wasn't sure either and didn't want to ponder on it right now.</p>
<p>Yoongi observed him for a moment, seeming as if he wanted to address what had transpired just now, and in an effort to evade the questioning that was sure to follow, Jisung met the stranger's gaze.</p>
<p>The green eyes in front of him were full of mystery, mischief sparkling right behind the boy's irises as he carefully retrieved the soul, turning it around in his hand.</p>
<p>Jisung expected him to pass the soul over to him, so he could slip it into his coat pocket with the other two, but instead the boy threw him a challenging, <em>hungry </em>look, lifting the sphere of light up to his lips as if it was something delicious, something <em>edible.</em></p>
<p>Realizing what he was about to do, sputtered protests left his lips, unintelligible and panicked, and he wrenched himself out of Yoongi's hold, his legs nearly giving out on him as he staggered towards the boy.</p>
<p>''Don't—''</p>
<p>The boy regarded him with amusement, finding his struggle amusing in a cruel sort of way, yet he didn't make any indication of removing the soul from his lips, not even as Yoongi charged towards him as well, bent on protecting their hard work.</p>
<p>''You can't eat that!'', he protested, though his words didn't matter as the boy swung his scythe at him almost lazily, Yoongi stumbling back in order to avoid getting hit.</p>
<p>He stared at the weapon with bitter recognition, not making another attempt to interfere as the boy opened his mouth wide, almost gently placing Chan's soul on his tongue before swallowing, a delightful expression appearing on his face at the taste.</p>
<p>Jisung was horrified, even more so when the stranger licked his lips, letting out a satisfied groan and giving him a very uncomfortable wink, one that lacked any sort of regret or care for the soul he had just destroyed.</p>
<p>Strength draining into the ground below, Jisung felt his knees buckle and his body falling forward, the arms that caught him this time unfamiliar and ice cold, just like the voice that spoke softly, sweetly into his ear.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''<em>This </em>is what you do with souls.''</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. [Scene 3]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Jisung opened his eyes, disoriented and dizzy as he was, he didn't know where he was.</p><p>His head was still pounding, spots dancing across his vision as he gazed up at the endlessly white sky above, the familiar setting contrasted by the foreign sensation of something plush under him, fluffy pillows in his back, the comfort it brought uncharacteristic enough to make him shoot up in alarm.</p><p>He was lying on a bed, an illusion conjured up by Yoongi who sat across from him, seemingly hovering in the air, his hard glare scanning their surroundings like he was expecting an ambush.</p><p>It took an excruciating, drawn-out minute of collecting his thoughts, of shaking the lingering icy feeling on his skin off, of remembering emerald eyes and snarky grins, of grasping the root of the horror washing over him, but he managed to assemble the events of their prior mission.</p><p>The company building with the mannequins, encountering, defeating the stagnated soul, a flash of his sword piercing through Chan causing him to let out a rather shaky breath, nausea only able to be kept at bay through the worried glint in Yoongi's eyes as he looked at him.</p><p>They both knew Jisung's sudden agitation back at the building wasn't the proper etiquette of a black star, meant to be a steady, calm, rational presence to clean up stagnated souls indulging the experiences that had made them unable to ascend to heaven right after their death.</p><p>To act against his nature, against the foundation on which he had been created, was both embarrassing and shameful, though there was no reproval visible in his partner's eyes, no threat of telling the administration, only genuine curiosity.</p><p>''Good morning.''</p><p>Yoongi tilted his head, still clearly angered by the previous exchange with the unknown boy and the failure of keeping Chan's soul safe until it could be purged, queasiness flaring up inside of him at the realization that he hadn't fulfilled his duty.</p><p>Studying his all-white, blank surroundings, as well as the checkered floor below, Jisung couldn't make out the boy's figure anywhere, the conclusion drawn that he had apparently simply stopped by to snatch the soul insulting and strangely disappointing.</p><p>Black stars operated on their own most of the time, their partners the only companionship provided to them aside from the stagnated souls they encountered, so meeting someone who was like him was conceptionally rare, and as such, thrilling in its own way.</p><p>What stumped him however, was the boy actually eating the souls of those he was set out to save, the action contradicting his being, his purpose in this world.</p><p>Recalling the hands on his skin, the stranger catching him so he wouldn't fall over, Jisung reached into the pocket of his coat, noting with relief that he was still in possession of the souls caught prior, their warmth nearly burning him after he had experienced coldness in its purest form.</p><p>Since they still needed to be taken to the Central Tower anyway, Jisung was about to suggest taking a short detour before their next mission, but it appeared Yoongi already understood from the way his hand closed around the souls in his pocket, seeking the heat radiating from the spheres of light.</p><p>The chill washing over him as he heaved himself off the bed was rather uncommon, as was the lump in his throat upon taking off into eternal whiteness, Yoongi seemingly navigating them everywhere and nowhere at once despite the determined pace he set.</p><p>Even if the Threshold was all-consuming, overwhelming and dominating, there was never a sliver of doubt when it came to the Central Tower's location, directions etched into every black star's mind from the very first breath they took, for it was their starting and ending point in everything they did.</p><p>As everything in this world, it was but a phantom, standing tall and proud at its designated spot, looming over everyone and everything as a black pillar with a white star carved into its side, Jisung's own star under his left eye heating up in recognition.</p><p>A whole brigade of guards was systematically placed around the place, protecting the tower from unwanted intrusions, mostly from stagnated souls straying too far into the Threshold, their weapons at the ready and aimed at everything that moved, even at Jisung and Yoongi as they dared to get closer, entering the sacred territory.</p><p>Truthfully, the tower didn't look like much from outside, meant to deceive those who didn't know the rituals practiced within, but the high level of security, guards side by side in endless rows all around the tower, was proof in itself that the tower was a vital part of a black star's work.</p><p>Confident in his steps, Yoongi marched towards the first wall of guards, unimpressed by the spears pointed at him as he gave a polite bow, gesturing at Jisung before he spoke.</p><p>''Black star 09031409, Yoongi and Jisung.''</p><p>There was a slight delay, the information passed through rows upon rows of guards until it reached the tower itself, a booming voice from within giving the command that made the men move to the side, creating a straight path towards the entrance.</p><p>''Permission to enter the tower granted.''</p><p>The two of them strode down the way provided for them, the impenetrable human barrier clicking into place behind them like clockwork, blocking any further intrusions.</p><p>The patters of their steps on the ground was the only sound reverberating in the area, the guards moving swift and soundless from centuries of practice and the expected respect for the holiness of the work carried out within the tower.</p><p>Climbing up a few stairs, the heavy black gate with golden hinges swung open with elegance and absolute silence, revealing a first glimpse of the foyer and the ethereal, transcendent glow of white light at the very top of the tower.</p><p>A million sparkling stars swiveled through the air as if offering a last dance to the few people busily, yet gracefully setting souls into baskets that were hoisted up to meet the white light, their salvation that would allow them to ascend to heaven.</p><p>Black hoods with prominent white stars hid the figures' identities from Jisung's entranced gaze, but Yoongi recognized them right away, a respectful bow in their direction earning him an acknowledging nod.</p><p>They didn't interrupt their work, meaningful and illustrious as it was, and demanding their utmost concentration in order to make sure the souls' journeys weren't conflicted.</p><p>The dazzling radiance of the practice was alluring and he beheld the sight in awe, treasuring it as something sacred, something blessed and holy beyond his understanding.</p><p>No matter how many times he witnessed the process, stepping into the foyer, the <em>purification hall,</em> after a mission always felt like the first time all over, the fascination of watching never really subsiding.</p><p>It took a few minutes drawn out into an overwhelmed, amazed eternity before he was able to reach into his coat pocket, the warmth of the souls on his skin only adding to a sense of pleasant accomplishment as he advanced towards one of the hooded figures, offering the fruits of his work to a boy with a heart-shaped smile and glittering eyes of hope.</p><p>Gratefulness exchanged with a simple smile, the boy gently deposited the souls inside of his basket, a final resting place that would bring them to much needed salvation as he carefully pulled on a chain to hoist the basket up.</p><p>''It's beautiful, isn't it?'', a honeyed voice suddenly commented, averting Jisung's attention from the iridescent spectacle, the boy who had eaten Chan's soul stepping out from the shadows, the typical graceful appearance doing nothing to chase the memory out of his head.</p><p>He was on edge in an instant, Yoongi moving protectively in front of him and shooting the black star the dirtiest glare he could muster, his disapproval and rage apparent from the way contempt seemed to radiate off him.</p><p>Frankly, given the boy's eagerness to eat souls, this was the last place he should be allowed into, yet none of the people working here seemed bothered by his presence, not even sparing a glance into his direction.</p><p>''What do you want?!'', Yoongi hissed, narrowing his eyes, his posture giving away that he wasn't above attacking another black star, someone who was supposed to carry out a noble duty. ''How did you get in here?''</p><p>Laughing, the boy raised his hands in mock surrender, an arrogant smile playing on his lips and a dangerous spark in his eyes that immediately made it clear that he wasn't here with innocent intentions.</p><p>''Well, I'm a black star, so why shouldn't I be allowed in here?'', he asked, feigning ignorance in front of people who knew him better than this. ''By the way, I don't think I've introduced myself yet. I'm Minho, an older black star.''</p><p>Yoongi shot him a trenchant glare to signal that he couldn't give any less of a shit right now, but Minho's attention was on Jisung anyway, eyes portraying tenacious fervor sparked by interest and curiosity as his gaze wandered over the younger, wanting to take everything in and burn it into his mind.</p><p>There was a certain promise of intimacy in those green depths, something surreal and longing, though it left Jisung unaffected, the older visibly displeased with his blank expression and lack of answer.</p><p>After a moment, his gaze left Jisung's figure again in favor of watching the way the soul cleansing process unfolded, repeated in a tedious cycle upheld by honorable devotion and carried out with utmost pride, for the importance of their work was a given with the existence of black stars.</p><p>Yoongi took a step forward in hostile, intimidating intention, clearly uncomfortable with the shift of focus, but he paused when another boy suddenly emerged from the shadows, having observed their exchange in silence until now.</p><p>It was pretty obvious that he was Minho's partner, if only by the protective stance he immediately took on or the disdain he had for Yoongi, the two of them subjecting themselves to a staredown.</p><p>Fiery red eyes, wild, tousled black hair, venom too elusive to make sense of it, their partners seemed quite similar in a lot of ways, right down to their appearance.</p><p>Jisung made a mental note to ask Yoongi later if all partners looked the same or if this was pure coincidence.</p><p>''What do you want?''</p><p>That same inquiry again, every word pronounced dangerously, insistently, sparking a gleam of distaste so passionate in the other boy's eyes that he wouldn't have been able to hide it even if he had tried.</p><p>He didn't speak, a dismissive wave of Minho's hand suffocating any words before they could even come to him, and as such, he simply scowled for a moment.</p><p>The tension was palpable, fizzling in the space between them as if the air was electrically charged, until a quiet snicker of Minho's broke it abruptly, bluntly.</p><p>''I don't want anything, really'', he conceded with a sly smile, contrasting the facade of innocence visible in his eyes. ''I just wanted to experience the soul cleansing again. The beauty of this practice always blinds me.''</p><p>Unexpected words spoken with steadfast sincerity, Yoongi faltered for a moment, calculating, waiting for any follow-up Minho would provide.</p><p>It seemed incompatible, the way he had treated Chan's soul and the way he admired the tower and the purification hall, the very sanctuary of black stars, just like everyone else.</p><p>A hypocrite dwelling between the saints and the immorality.</p><p>''It's so...''</p><p>Wonder spilled from Minho's lips at the deliberate words, a need to further praise the noble work manifesting in his eyes, solid and honest as he sought out the adjective to put his feelings into conception.</p><p> </p><p>''Disgusting.''</p><p> </p><p>The unexpectedness of the statement was like whiplash all over, Minho's smile twisting into something distasteful and sour as his gaze locked on Jisung for a second time, green and blue mingling in an explosive concoction right beneath the surface.</p><p>It was a subtle reach for his partner's hand, an unspoken command exchanged without any need for verbal communication, and in an onrush of realization, Jisung was barely able to evade the blade of the scythe that was swung his way in practiced ease.</p><p>He let himself fall to the side, his eye flame flaring up as he grabbed Yoongi's hand, the metal of his sword replacing warm skin in the fragment of a second as he brought the weapon up, blocking another strike in a flash of metallic clatter.</p><p>There was the sound of stunned, alarmed voices, the workers abandoning their practice and focusing on the scene that was unfolding in front of them, trying to determine attacker and defender from the way their weapons had clashed together.</p><p>Minho paused deliberately, his scythe resting against Jisung's sword in an unevenly matched battle of strength, yet despite the self-evident advantage on his hands, he decided not to further engage, drawing his weapon away and regarding Jisung with an amused expression, like he had just passed some kind of test.</p><p>Any thoughts about questioning Minho about the reason for attacking him and disturbing the serene atmosphere took a backseat when the older suddenly took off towards the spiral staircase on one end of the purification hall, clearly set out to accomplish whatever he came here to do.</p><p>Unwilling to let him get away, Jisung chased after him, noting the fluidity of Minho's movements as he ran, the swift and elegant way he carried himself, a flower swaying in the wind.</p><p>Commotion arose within the tower, perpetual peace stirred up with their chase, but Jisung couldn't pay it any mind, following the older down the stairs, down into the protected, prohibited chamber whose entry he had been told was reserved for experienced black stars.</p><p>Insufferable, unrelenting heat met them halfway, coaxing a satisfied hum out of Minho before he continued pressing forward, marble steps rushing past in a blur until they unexpectedly ended, a part of the staircase simply missing, ripped out to reveal a secret room below the stairs.</p><p>Everything about the set-up already screamed danger, yet Minho dropped down the short distance into the room anyway and Jisung was left with little choice but to copy the action and follow.</p><p>He had barely managed to land safely on yet another marbled floor when a heatwave rushed over him, parching the tips of his hair before he could even get a look at what was in front of him.</p><p>''This is the deepest soul chamber.''</p><p>Minho's voice had his head shooting up, his eyes immediately catching a blue sphere locked away in a cage that was suspended from the ceiling with chains, the older eyeing the arrangement in astonishment and with a flickering, hungry <em>want </em>clear in his eyes, a drive pulled from the corners of his mind.</p><p>''Here they preserve the souls that can't be cleansed above'', he continued, drawn in by the dangling cage, the only thing that filled the otherwise completely bare and white room, following the chains that held it in place with his eyes. ''The toughest nuts to crack, if you will. Let's see, shall we?''</p><p>Jisung fully expected it, yet he wasn't able to get his body into action fast enough as Minho swung his scythe and severed one of the chains with a single hit, his weapon cutting through the metal as if it was a string.</p><p>The cage swayed, brought out of balance with the hit and completely crashing with the next blow Minho delivered, sent towards the floor, the metal bursting, shattering like glass at the impact.</p><p>And it wasn't only the cage, the soul <em>itself </em>seemed as if it was shattering, an explosion of white light filling the room, blinding and intense, as Jisung was thrown back against the wall with such a force that it knocked the sword out of his hand.</p><p>A pained hiss left him at the collision, a burning sensation traveling all the way up his spine, an ache pounding in his muscles, but it was a manageable pain, only brimming beneath his skin and slightly subdued by the force of his still active eye flame.</p><p>He didn't even crumble to the floor, managing to keep his balance until a new burst of energy, a new heatwave, rolled over him with devastating ferocity, stirring up an uncomfortable flurry of memories whose origin stemmed from somewhere deep within him.</p><p>Pictures of burn marks flashed in his mind, round and positioned right below the collarbone, stemming from the butt of a cigarette, his skin seemingly igniting and forcing him to scratch the spot, trying to rid himself off the ugly injury concealed by his shirt and hidden from sight.</p><p>Grinning faces with teeth like fangs, ugly and condescending, but voiceless laughter as they indulged in his pain, writhing on the floor like an unfortunate insect just waiting to be squashed, breaths heavy and scarce as they filtered through his lungs with difficulty.</p><p>Screams of agony, bruised and ripped skin, speckles of blood on the ground below and Jisung couldn't breathe with the load of despair that was dumped on him all of a sudden, a single name repeating over and over in his mind in a cacophony of misery.</p><p>
  <em>Chan.</em>
</p><p>This was what had happened to Chan, those were Chan's memories, Chan's pain, Chan's life, why was he suddenly recalling all of it?</p><p>His throat closed up, the pressure of hands strangling him a rather familiar sensation, choking down every breath, every cry of help before it could escape him.</p><p>Chest heaving and heart hammering away behind his ribcage without reason, he managed to focus on his surroundings long enough to discern Yoongi's worried face, the older having taken hold of his shoulders and shaking him slightly, as if trying to rip him out of a haze.</p><p>His mouth was moving, probably producing an inaudible yell for Jisung to wake up, but all that registered in his mind was the overwhelming crackle of fire, mixed in with screams of Chan's name, guttural and grating to the point that it summoned about a headache.</p><p>It was as if his body was there, but his mind had been dragged off to some place far away, to the pits of a soul that no longer existed, yet was doomed never to forget its suffering.</p><p>Yoongi's expression became hysterical, pleading, though Jisung was only able to take it in for a second before his vision shifted like it had done back in the recording studio, blurry forms and shapes moving in front of his eyes without a proper goal or aim.</p><p>Sort of like Jisung himself who was merely moving through the Threshold to pick out stagnated souls and hand them over to the Central Tower for purification, rinse and repeat every single moment of his existence.</p><p>As a black star, he naturally wasn't supposed to ponder the reason behind his being, nor the duty imprinted on him or the life he had led prior to becoming a black star, but with his rising panic prominent in every fiber of his body, he unconsciously started to question just what had happened to him.</p><p>Why was he shaking at the sight of fire and the degrading, hurtful words invading his thoughts, those that had originally been aimed at Chan?</p><p>What was his link to Chan?</p><p>Amidst his useless grasping for answers in the confines of his mind, he stumbled upon a single memory, a single picture in the vast space of his thoughts, his reflection that sat tauntingly, powerfully on the throne of blissful ignorance.</p><p>It was a simple practice room, the likes of which could be found all over the company, mirrors from floor to ceiling reflecting the figure of a lone boy in the middle, sitting cross-legged with a phone in his lap, strawberry blonde bangs hiding his eyes from view.</p><p>
  <em>''Jeez, where is that hyung?''</em>
</p><p>The question reverberated in his mind, an echo of times gone way too fast, too fleeting to hold onto, yet precious for that very sake.</p><p>Despite the memory only replaying in his mind, Jisung felt as if he was really, physically, back in the room, watching the boy play around with his phone in boredom, the oppressive silence reigning over him broken by the sound of a door being pushed open.</p><p>Hesitantly, tentatively, unwillingly it creaked open, the boy's head shooting up as someone entered, slow, dragging steps seeming like a funeral march and the stranger's expression contorted in a daunting frown.</p><p>It was Chan, Jisung realized with a jump, headphones covering his ears and tuning out the world around him, his self-defense mechanism already distinctive at this point in time.</p><p>
  <em>''Chan hyung?''</em>
</p><p>Chan met the boy's surprised, fearful gaze with his own, controlled one, glimmers of genuine agony mixing with a facade of hatred that was such a rare look on him that it completely stumped the boy for a minute.</p><p>His eyes radiated iciness, chilling the room, summoning shivers that ran down the boy's back, his brain unable to catch up why his hyung seemed so hostile without any reasonable cause.</p><p>
  <em>''I never want to see you again. Fuck off.''</em>
</p><p>An unexpected declaration fed with so much intentional disdain had the boy floundering, simply staring, unpacking the words that had been thrown at him, his mouth opening and closing, torn between speaking up or taking a distorted sense of comfort in the silence following Chan's statement.</p><p>The two of them remained motionless, expecting, until a snarl appeared on the older's face and he turned around, nearly fleeing the room, fleeing <em>himself</em>, as well as the boy left behind on the floor.</p><p>The boy who was...</p><p> </p><p>''Jisung!''</p><p> </p><p>It was with a jolt that Jisung was thrust back into reality, Yoongi's voice finally penetrating the thick blanket that had surrounded him and his sight rightening itself, revealing the white walls of the soul chamber and a towering figure currently engaged in battle with Minho, groans and pained wails echoing eerily around them.</p><p>Seeing the older brought back a sense of duty, the recognition just <em>where </em>he was at the moment washing over him like cold rain.</p><p>Right.</p><p>They had to stop Minho from taking yet another soul for his own, selfish gain.</p><p>With unstable legs, he made a few wobbly steps forwards, blindly grasping for Yoongi's arm and willing him to change back into weapon form, yet when nothing happened aside from the scrutinizing gaze scanning over him, he realized the absence of his eye flame.</p><p>It seemed to have fizzled out somewhere in between being thrown against the wall and recalling the event in the practice room, the ache of his earlier impact suddenly hitting him full force now that he didn't have his natural pain reliever active.</p><p>He almost folded in on himself with the onslaught of excruciating pain, the only thing keeping him upright being Yoongi's grip on him, and even if he knew that he wasn't in any condition to interfere with Minho right now, he still tried to get himself under control.</p><p>He couldn't let him eat another soul. Not again.</p><p>Another wail coming from the soul had him looking at Minho, his eye flame active and a penetrating green in color as he swung his scythe at the enormous figure in front of him seemingly made out of fire and charred wood.</p><p>''Scream for me!'', he demanded, some sadistic and twisted enjoyment playing in his voice, a need to hear the misery experienced by this soul, to amplify its suffering even after death.</p><p>Jisung couldn't really determine the soul's physical features, merely the silhouette of a human made out of a mountain of fire, ash and wood that was groaning, breathing heavily with every movement, hollowed holes for eyes and mouth letting out nothing more than the quietest sounds.</p><p>None of which seemed to please Minho, the older aiming for the figure again, agitated, annoyed as he let his scythe slice through an array of burning wood that might have been the figure's arm, the piece falling to the floor and sending vibrations through the marble that had Jisung wobbling even more.</p><p>''I can't hear you!'', came Minho's gloating laugh, the older completely unfazed when the stagnated soul slashed at him, hitting the ground with vigor, yet missing by inches.</p><p>''Scream <b>louder</b>!!''</p><p>The soul groaned once more, the faintest trace of syllables lost in the crackle of fire, mouth opened in a muted yell, its other arm making contact with the floor yet again, unable to even put a scratch on Minho's confident form with its lacking coordination.</p><p>Flames were licking at the marble below, wood splintering, skidding over the tiles, but the noise didn't satisfy Minho, the blade of his scythe clinking against the floor in impatience.</p><p>''Wheeze! Screech! <b>Shout</b>!''</p><p>Jisung shuddered at the icy, merciless command that cut through the air over all other sounds, razor sharp and telling of cruelty yet to come if it wasn't obeyed, fear striking his heart at the thought of ever being subjected to such an order.</p><p>Next to him, Yoongi sucked in a breath, having never been involved with a black star of such ferocity, such malice, the reality of Minho being a dangerous individual dawning on him with the hissed cry of torment that left the soul's lips.</p><p>It resounded in the room loud enough to make the walls vibrate, but it wasn't the scream Minho wanted, uncontrollable fury and scathing wrath reflected on his features as he yelled at the soul again.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>''<b>LOUDER!!</b>''</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The scream that followed was the most ear-shattering and deafening thing to ever reach Jisung's brain, the sound of unpent agony and pure, unadulterated misery probably having been able to blow his eardrums off if he hadn't covered his ears in wise foresight.</p><p>Even with the added protection, he felt his entire body shaking from the sound wave crashing over them, drawn-out to release every last bit of anguish and pain.</p><p>This time, Minho seemed properly pleased with the result, a smirk stretching along his lips as he readied his scythe again, completely ignoring the way tears seemed to stream down the stagnated soul's face, instantly evaporating into steam in the extreme heat.</p><p>Jisung himself was aware of a stinging wetness in his eyes as well, every tear a tiny waterfall as they rolled down his cheeks, earning him an astounded glance from Yoongi.</p><p>''Jisung, are you... crying?''</p><p>He wanted to argue, the phrase <em>black stars don't cry </em>suddenly coming to his mind, but he was powerless to stop himself from breaking down, sobbing into his partner's shoulder while Minho delivered the finishing blows to the stagnated soul.</p><p>Jisung could barely stand to watch the scene, not with the whimpers the soul let out and its last attempts to defend itself, but he did look up at the sound of Minho's voice.</p><p>''I won't allow your cleansing. I won't allow you to forget any of your pain.''</p><p>Rubbing his teary eyes, he could make out the scythe buried in the figure's chest, the older putting in a last violent shove to completely penetrate the mix of wood and fire.</p><p>The stagnated soul managed to get a last tiny wheeze past its lips before it dissolved into light, returning to its original form as a blue sphere.</p><p>With a triumphant cheer, Minho grasped the sphere between nimble fingers, regarding it for a moment before he pleasurably devoured it, Jisung furrowing his eyes in a gesture that was part frustration about himself and part exasperation about the older.</p><p>''Continue living inside me'', Minho groaned in contentment, his eye flame flourishing under the power he had just fed his body before it extinguished at his command.</p><p>Jisung felt sick.</p><p>He had failed to stop the older from taking yet another soul and subjecting it to an eternity of misery. His most basic of duties and he had messed it up by letting his body get the better of him.</p><p>If he wasn't already crying, he sure as hell would have done so now, especially when Minho gave him a suggestive wink, striding over with elegance and indifference, his weapon changing back into the form of his partner who looked equally indifferent.</p><p>''That was a job well done, right Kihyun hyung?''</p><p>His partner, Kihyun, cracked a mischievous smile and tilted his head slightly, silently agreeing but keeping his words at a minimum, contrary to Yoongi who shot the duo a glare, just barely able to keep himself from stalking over to them and beating them into the ground.</p><p>''Hey, what's the big idea?'', he hissed, still holding onto Jisung in fear of him toppling over if he were to let go. ''First you interfere with our mission and now this? What the hell?''</p><p>If Minho had planned on answering, any chance of him doing so was obliterated with the sound of voices becoming loud in the space over them, someone obviously having caught his screaming and the general commotion going on down here.</p><p>It was probably only a matter of seconds until someone stormed the room, and while Jisung half wished they would find the four of them as they were, he knew just as well that he was put into a compromising situation too.</p><p>There was no prospect of victory in his condition right now, neither verbally nor physically.</p><p>He wasn't a threat to Minho, and the older was well aware of that, throwing him a challenging smile and another wink before he flitted towards the exit of the chamber, located at the opposite side from where they had entered.</p><p>Kihyun followed slower, seemingly not in any rush as he exchanged a long, contemplating look with Yoongi, like the two of them shared any kind of history that Jisung didn't grasp.</p><p>Tension danced between them, uncertainty covered up with rivalry, and Yoongi's fingers twitched from where they rested on Jisung's shoulders, itching to do something <em>else</em>, yet falling victim to his own hesitation.</p><p>After a moment, with the steps above them growing louder and the people drawing nearer, Kihyun averted his gaze, joining Minho at the door who had followed the unspoken confrontation with interest.</p><p>There was a mutual understanding between the two of them as Minho opened the door, waving his partner through before exchanging a glance of his own with Jisung, this one cursory, light-spirited despite the entire spectacle that had just transpired.</p><p>''I'll eat your soul next'', was the somewhat playful, yet still terrifyingly solid promise Jisung was left with, the words chilling him to the bone as the door fell shut and he slumped in Yoongi's arms, too exhausted to try and keep his dignity.</p><p> </p><p>He felt sick.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Silence, broken only by the rhythmic, yet still irregular patter of coins against a checkered board, a black and a white side turning of their own volition every time the sacred balance of a soul was lost.</p><p>Every square of this divergent chessboard was occupied, monitoring one of the black stars strewn around the Threshold, keeping track of their soul state in order to put the balance between black stars and stagnated souls into relation.</p><p>At opposite ends of the board, two boys sat, watching the development attentively, yet at the same time detached from the reality of the flipping coins, words seldom spoken between them unless it was a situation such as this one.</p><p>''At present, there are roughly two million black stars mobilized'', one of the boys presented with a gesture to the board, brown hair lightly fluttering in an illusionary breeze and the steady clacking of white pieces turning to black ones a persistent background noise. ''The number of stagnated souls however amounts to about a hundred million.''</p><p>''So many?'', the boy at the other end asked with faux surprise, very well capable of summing up the coins himself, yet choosing to indulge in ignorance instead. ''The problem will extend past the Threshold if we don't interfere.''</p><p>''It already has, Wooyoung.'' The brown haired boy shook his head in a gesture of condescending pity. ''Increase the amount of black stars to ten million.''</p><p>''Ten million? Is that really necessary? Can't we just keep an eye on the stagnated souls ourselves, Changbin?''</p><p>Wooyoung was clearly uncomfortable with the use of black stars, shifting on his seat restlessly as he watched the clatter of coins on the board, every sound like a clap of thunder.</p><p>Changbin raised a brow at him, a silent question unspoken for both of their sakes, yet still answered with the light twitch of Wooyoung's hand.</p><p>''I think it's too hard on the boys.''</p><p>''Boys?'', Changbin repeated, the single word echoing off the walls of their space as a dry chuckle. ''You seem to have gotten a little soft lately.''</p><p>Wooyoung seemed as if he wanted to argue, though chose to hold his tongue and not further question Changbin's words, leaving the two of them to coat themselves into the silence of their observations.</p><p>Silence, broken only by the rhythmic, yet still irregular patter of coins against a checkered board.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Divergent Chessboard", hehehehehe</p><p>Next chapter is where my favorite part of writing this fic comes in~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. [Scene 4]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*Miroh sound effect*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jisung worked alone.</p>
<p>Sure, he had Yoongi as his partner and weapon, but that was it.</p>
<p>There was no other force involved in the duty he had sworn himself to, simply because it had never been a necessity.</p>
<p>Black stars were perfectly capable of carrying out their missions on their own, independent and detached from interaction and company, simply because they had been created this way.</p>
<p>Jisung was meant to work alone, and yet, as he and Yoongi treaded through the illusion conjured by a stagnated soul, there were two additional boys falling into step beside them.</p>
<p>Another team, assigned to the same mission for a reason unseizable for Jisung, and at the same time perfectly clear considering his latest efforts.</p>
<p>He didn't let that recognition show on his face, instead taking in his surroundings to distract himself from the immeasurable disappointment, the bubbling dissatisfaction about himself.</p>
<p>The image they were presented with this time was a bamboo forest, vibrant green canes enveloping them from all sides, placed so close to each other that it was impossible to make out anything that might lie hidden behind the bamboo.</p>
<p>The dirt trail they were walking on seemed mapped out just for them, too intentional, calculated to be the product of nature itself, and the way the bamboo canes towered over them, stretching past infinity, allowing only a few select rays of artificial sunlight to seep through, was rather sinisterly set up.</p>
<p>Like a maze with only one path, they pushed forward, the occasional rustle of made up wind through the bamboo halting them in their steps, forcing them to listen into the void for any sign of the stagnated soul.</p>
<p>Jisung knew Yoongi's gaze was on him, could feel the reprimand, the concern, burning into his skin, as well as the unspoken apology hovering in the air between them whenever the older made attempts to get to the bottom of Jisung's behavior, all of which were blocked, dismissed without any explanation.</p>
<p>Without any closure to give himself, it was onerous, demanding to attain the will to reply to the various questions that scraped along his inside, unveiling pain he had burrowed deep within himself.</p>
<p>Yoongi tried to prod at his memories every now and then, asking questions that Jisung couldn't answer for the life of him, but each and every one left behind an agonizing pinch in his heart.</p>
<p>It was no secret that his partner was worried about him and although he had promised he wasn't involved in their new addition during this mission, it seemed a little too coincidental for them to team up specifically after the incident in the chamber.</p>
<p>He didn't know if the Central Tower was sending out teams whose sole purpose was to keep watch of troubled black stars, but even if they weren't, he had to get himself together and stop messing up his missions.</p>
<p>Shuddering at a sudden rush of coldness crawling down his back, he took a deep, drawn-out breath, thankful when the other black star's partner, a boy with equally black hair and red eyes as every other partner Jisung had encountered so far, broke the silence.</p>
<p>''So that's your new partner, Yoongi?''</p>
<p>The words struck something inside of Jisung, hurtful, demeaning, even if he couldn't decipher the reason why he was upset, though he kept his emotions to himself, instead glancing at the other black star from the corner of his eyes.</p>
<p>The boy's hair was a shiny silver, matching his eyes and giving his appearance a rather mysterious flair, even as he simply stared ahead, not minding his partner comfortably talking with Yoongi.</p>
<p>He was wearing a black jacket with a white star on his chest, just like Jisung's cape had a white star as well, and his shorts were adorned by multiple belts, leaving Jisung to wonder about their functionality.</p>
<p>''Yes, this is Jisung'', Yoongi responded, a gesture towards the younger causing the black star to quickly peek at him from the corner of his eyes, barely brief enough for Jisung to catch.</p>
<p>There was no evident emotion in his eyes, just a faint glow of the star below his left eye, right amidst the array of freckles that dusted his cheeks, and a twitch of his gloved hands that could have very well been his imagination.</p>
<p>''I'm Dino. I hope for a successful cooperation.''</p>
<p>Dino tilted his head, grinning slightly as a gust of air made his coat flutter, apparently the same attire shared by all partners, which, given their similar appearance, made sense.</p>
<p>After a moment of waiting for Dino to introduce his black star, the boy seemed to realize that he had forgotten to do so, his grin turning into a laugh as he petted the black star's head like he was some kind of pet.</p>
<p>Jisung cringed.</p>
<p>''This is Felix. He's my current favorite.''</p>
<p>
  <em>Current favorite?</em>
</p>
<p>Jisung's stomach twisted at the cruel label, feeling insulted on Felix's behalf since the boy didn't react at all, posture never wavering as he scanned the forest, eyes holding an adamant sense of duty, of having to please.</p>
<p>Yoongi gave an acknowledging hum, yet didn't seem comfortable with the team that had joined them, apprehension radiating off him in waves and a need to deflect the topic making him turn to Jisung.</p>
<p>''Alright, prepare for a fierce enemy'', he advised, a subtle reminder once again to keep his thoughts on the battlefield for this one, not only for their sake, but also to prove their capability to Dino and Felix.</p>
<p>It was a matter of pride as much as it was a duty, twice the pressure fraying his nerves, but he knew he did well to keep his unease contained, so he nodded curtly, obediently, Yoongi's lingering look only making it more difficult to act unbothered as he copied Felix and stared ahead.</p>
<p>He wasn't looking at anything in particular, simply the green of the bamboo that reminded him of Minho's eyes, the memory sparking a jumpy feeling in his chest, not inherently unpleasant, yet not fond either.</p>
<p>He hadn't seen the black star ever since their last encounter, Minho probably having gone off to feast on some more stagnated souls for whatever reason there was in his crazed mind, but he shivered nonetheless upon recalling the iciness of his voice, the sheer ferocity haunting him.</p>
<p>''Thoughts on the present'', Yoongi whispered, as if having read his mind, though he still spoke loud enough for Dino to regard the two of them curiously.</p>
<p>''What's up?''</p>
<p>Rolling his eyes at the nosy inquiry, Yoongi waved the boy off, halting all of a sudden as a suspicious rustle came from somewhere to their left between the bamboo canes.</p>
<p>Felix narrowed his eyes at the spot, muscles tense and ready to engage, following the unnatural movements of the canes closely while Yoongi fixated Jisung with a serious gaze.</p>
<p>''Here's the thing. Most souls in the Threshold are those of people burdened by their own selfishness.''</p>
<p>A picture of Chan popped up in his mind. He shuddered.</p>
<p>He couldn't do this right now.</p>
<p>''But human souls aren't as much of a threat as the non-human souls that occasionally appear, driven here purely by their will to live.''</p>
<p>The bamboo parted for a moment, a dangerous glint visible for a mere fragment between the shifting canes, and beside him, he caught Felix's grey eye flame igniting, his own one following after a second of collecting his energy.</p>
<p>In eerie sync, the two of them reached for their partners' arms, the flash of skin changing to metal coming just in time as a wild beast emerged from the bamboo, a tiger pouncing on its prey with a savage roar.</p>
<p>They let themselves fall back, the tiger's momentum, its coordinated leap, accumulating enough strength to rip open the ground as it landed, dirt flying everywhere, momentarily blinding Jisung.</p>
<p>He adjusted his grip on his sword, Felix weighing his steel warhammer in his hand, watching, contemplating, as the tiger let out an aggressive roar again, prompting them to attack.</p>
<p>There was the slightest quiver of hesitation in Jisung's body, successfully drowned by his urge to be professional, and he moved in time with Felix, slashing at the beast while the other black star swung his hammer.</p>
<p>He was barely able to drive his sword under the tiger's skin before the impact of the hammer catapulted the animal off to the side and through the bamboo, Felix having put in enough force to knock it off balance.</p>
<p>A deep, enraged growl from behind the rustling coppice mixed with the boy's heaved, forcefully controlled breaths, and a flash of realization shot through Jisung's body.</p>
<p>
  <em>The weapon was too heavy for Felix to wield.</em>
</p>
<p>For a black star, a weapon was predictably the most important asset and as such, it was vital to be able to manage it properly, a feat that came naturally over time and with the growing bond between black star and partner.</p>
<p>Jisung could handle his sword with no issues at all, him and Yoongi perfectly in sync over dozens of missions, but seeing Felix struggle to lift his hammer again was enough to confirm that not all black stars seemed to share such a strong bond.</p>
<p>He didn't get to dwell on it, the tiger darting out of the bamboo, gaze set on Felix who wasn't able to collect himself in time, merely saved by Jisung's fast reflexes as he threw himself in front of the boy.</p>
<p>Taking aim at the tiger's eyes, he managed to slice a deep cut across its face, missing his initial target, yet still doing enough damage for the animal to roar in agony, red drops of blood showering Jisung as he dodged the clawed paw soaring through the air.</p>
<p>With the tiger's attention focused on him, Felix raised his hammer once more, not bothering trying to hit a moving target and instead bringing it down on the ground.</p>
<p>The impact created a devastating, powerful shock wave that not only knocked the tiger back, but Jisung as well, barely any precious time given to brace himself or to register the bamboo slapping him from all sides before he collided with the dirt.</p>
<p>He let out a wail as excruciating pain flared up in his body despite his eye flame, the memory of Minho suddenly coming to him again.</p>
<p>Hastily pushing it to the back of his mind, he scrambled to his feet right as the tiger reared up, looming over Jisung threateningly, yet at the same time exposing his vulnerable belly, an opportunity he couldn't pass up on crossing his mind.</p>
<p>Gathering his strength, he drew his sword across the length of the beast's belly, flinching at the pained roar that reached his ears, his gaze unwillingly flitting up to the tiger's eyes.</p>
<p>He froze mid-movement at the wide, hypnotizing depths that stared back at him, completely drawing him in, rendering his muscles useless.</p>
<p>A hallucination spurred by the nature of this world, the tiger suddenly shifted into the shape of a person right in front of him, the figure of what looked like a hunter pointing a rifle at Jisung.</p>
<p>Sputtering and slightly horrified, he could do nothing else but gape at the man who had a smirk on his face, two other men fading into existence beside him, cruel laughter hitting Jisung's ears and shifting his attention long enough to make out a cub that was held high like a prize by one of the men.</p>
<p>Was this... the tiger's cub?</p>
<p><em>''Look at this, it actually turned up''</em>, the man snarled, cruel eyes boring right into Jisung. <em>''Tigers are really dumb.''</em></p>
<p>He stifled a laugh, giving the animal a shake until it let out what sounded like a mix between a whimper and a defeated growl.</p>
<p>
  <em>''Well, well... looks like I lost that bet then, haha!''</em>
</p>
<p>The one with the rifle smirked a little wider and fired at where Jisung stood. The apparition was incapable of hitting him, but the shot was still met with a response, a roar of pain echoing in the space around them.</p>
<p>
  <em>The tiger.</em>
</p>
<p>Was this how it had died?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Jisung!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This time, it wasn't Yoongi's voice but Felix's surprisingly deep one that ripped him out of his haze, the illusion of the men dissolving and making way for the still towering tiger, the animal abruptly letting itself fall, shoving him to the ground.</p>
<p>He screamed in agony at the collision and the crushing pressure on his chest where the tiger's paws rested, yet he was unable to do anything else, locked in an intense stare with the tiger, lured into its thoughts, its memories, its <em>pain</em>.</p>
<p>Hypnotized and paralyzed, he couldn't fathom Felix coming to his aid until the weight suddenly lifted, the tiger charging at the other black star only to meet the cold, unforgiving steel of Felix's hammer on its head.</p>
<p>The strike all but rammed the animal into the dirt where it twitched helplessly, miserably, in all likelihood succumbing to its wounds a second time, and Jisung pushed himself up, noting how much he was trembling as he brought a hand up to wipe some stray blood of his face.</p>
<p>He was still shaken from what he had just seen, still slightly out of it, remnants of the beast's memories clinging to him like leeches, and he vaguely wondered why they still seemed so <em>vivid, </em>but chose not to think about that right now.</p>
<p>It was probably just his mind acting up.</p>
<p>''Thanks'', he managed to say, though he didn't get to hear Felix's answer, if there even would have been any.</p>
<p>A growling, dangerous roar escaped the tiger, a warning far too late as it drew upon the last of its strength and suddenly pounced on Felix, bringing him to fall with a cry of surprise on his lips.</p>
<p>Sharp fangs glinted perilously in the few beams of illusional sunlight before they chomped into the boy's shoulder, tearing flesh and fabric and making blood spurt out of the wound while the pointed claws ripped straight into his torso.</p>
<p>Felix's hammer hit the ground with a heartbreaking wail of torment from the boy, Dino immediately shifting back into human form, crying out for his partner, but Jisung didn't pay him any mind, adrenaline and a need to protect taking over him.</p>
<p>The way Felix's face contorted in immeasurable pain as the tiger twisted its head and pulled a chunk of flesh out of him, the way his tortured scream sounded so much like that of the stagnated soul back in the chamber, the way his blood spilled all over the ground like a grotesque signature, it all fed into the agitation, the rage that made him stagger to his feet.</p>
<p>He saw absolutely nothing but red as he swung his sword at the tiger's head with such ferocity that he severed it from the rest of the animal's body, the thing hitting the ground with a dull thud, the rest of its body following taut.</p>
<p>It barely took a moment full of heaving, trying to keep his rising tears at bay and calm himself down, before the entire scenery around them dissolved into light, including the tiger's remains, and Felix let out a sound somewhere between a choke and a gasp.</p>
<p>He was bleeding all over the place, a mangled mess of flesh and blood, and as he laid there like this, Jisung couldn't help but be reminded of Jungkook and Jeongin.</p>
<p>The thought sent a wave of nausea through his body and he stumbled over to the boy, past the tiger's soul, sinking to his knees beside him in a deep-rooted desire to <em>help</em>.</p>
<p>He was vaguely aware of Yoongi shifting back, of Dino's gaze roaming his body, but his attention was on Felix, the boy struggling to continue breathing, tortured, desperate wheezing escaping him, his body completely limp.</p>
<p>Jisung wasn't trained in the field of medical aid, but he figured it would be a good start to get the restricting jacket off, so with shaking fingers, he pulled the zipper down, trying his best to keep his eyes off the gaping wound in Felix's shoulder or the sea of red surrounding them.</p>
<p>''Jisung, what are you doing?'', Yoongi asked, something heavy weighing down his voice enough for the younger to look up at his partner, not missing the shadow flitting through his eyes or the sorry expression crossing his face.</p>
<p>''I'm saving him.''</p>
<p>The roughness of his own voice surprised him, raw emotion tangible in the way it shook slightly, triggering a sudden headache that made him squeeze his eyes shut for a second, Felix's ragged breaths beneath him doing nothing except make him even more nauseous.</p>
<p>He felt sick.</p>
<p>He hated that he always felt sick.</p>
<p>A sudden snicker had him opening his eyes and whipping his head around to Dino, the boy unfazed by his partner dying right in front of him as he crossed his arms, a challenging glimmer in his red orbs.</p>
<p>''Ha, don't make me laugh! What kind of black star are you supposed to be?''</p>
<p>Unable to make sense of Dino's statement, to understand where he was getting at, Jisung merely stared at him, hands hovering uselessly over Felix's body.</p>
<p>He couldn't even find it in himself to be angry at the condescending tone, couldn't even begin to wonder why Yoongi wasn't looking at him, couldn't even feel anything else other than an icy coldness gripping him.</p>
<p>''A black star is nothing but a tool'', Dino huffed, every word cutting into Jisung's very soul, manifesting as a pounding in his head, the accelerating beat of his heart, the shock freezing him into place. ''And the boy was trash from the beginning anyway. Just rubbish.''</p>
<p>The shrug following his declaration was crushing, blowing all air out of his lungs and causing tears to well up in his eyes as he turned to Felix, noticing the boy dissolving into light the way a stagnated soul would.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The way a stagnated soul would.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But Felix was... He was a black star.</p>
<p>Black stars didn't just... <em>dissolve. They didn't just dissolve.</em></p>
<p>Out of pure instinct, he reached out, wanting to grab onto Felix, to somehow keep him from disappearing into thin air, to ground himself into the reality that black stars <em>didn't</em> <em>just</em> <em>disappear</em>, but his hands phased right through the boy, felt nothing solid, nothing <em>real</em>, particles of light the only thing left behind.</p>
<p>Apart from...</p>
<p>
  <em>Felix's soul.</em>
</p>
<p>A vibrant blue sphere of light on the ground, differing in no way from that of the tiger right beside it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>How they made it back to the Central Tower, Jisung had no clue.</p>
<p>Shaking miserably with every step taken through the eternal whiteness of the Threshold, he had been unable to concentrate on anything except the way his teeth chattered and his vision would shift out of focus every few seconds, his body constantly threatening to give up on him.</p>
<p>He hadn't trusted himself to carry the two souls they had collected, Yoongi stuffing them into his coat pocket instead like they meant nothing, his eyes having taken on a permanent state of worry whenever he glanced at Jisung.</p>
<p>He spoke very little during their trip back, only when directly addressed by Dino, the boy's carefree and nonchalant way of talking only intensifying Jisung's headache, getting under his skin as a raging itch, a burn he was unable to get rid of.</p>
<p>He felt disgusted and disgusting in his own skin, treading behind the two boys with a miserably gloomy and petulant expression, trying to tune out the occasional pieces of smalltalk and make himself disappear into the ground.</p>
<p>It was impossible to tell how much time had passed, the concept of time not really bearing any importance in the Threshold anyway, but when Jisung looked up after a long time of zoning out and leaving his body on autopilot, he recognized the holy glow and the high ceiling of the purification hall.</p>
<p>There were workers setting souls into the baskets, helping them reach their promised heaven as always, though he could immediately tell that the hooded figures had a lot more work on their hands this time around, the cause of which was beyond his comprehension as Yoongi handed the souls over to the boy with the heart-shaped smile.</p>
<p>Well, actually, upon closer inspection, Jisung could discern that he was merely entrusting a single soul to the boy, and while he did wonder what reason was there for it, he didn't feel like asking, especially not in Dino's presence.</p>
<p>The boy pushed them towards the spiral staircase as soon as the delivery was completed, a fleeting image of him chasing Minho invading Jisung's mind, but it was gone with the wind when they climbed up the stairs instead.</p>
<p>The route seemed familiar in a distant kind of way despite him having never taken it, and a foreign pressure settled on his chest, making it a bit harder to breathe as he clung to the back of Yoongi's coat for reassurance.</p>
<p>It was given to him as a gentle smile, the older reaching down to take his hand, the comforting warmth helping him to keep calm until they arrived at the floor above the purification hall, a heavy steel door blocking their way.</p>
<p>Dino grinned smugly at him, an unspoken provocation dancing across his face before he pushed the door open, a gust of coldness causing Jisung to shiver and press himself closer to Yoongi.</p>
<p>He didn't like this.</p>
<p>''As my next partner, I want a tough boy'', Dino declared, stepping confidently inside the darkened room, and after a moment of reluctance, of gnawing doubts, Jisung squeezed his partner's hand, giving him the nonverbal okay to follow the boy.</p>
<p>It proved to be harder than expected to muster up the courage to really take the room in once they were inside, memories resurfacing in Jisung's mind the second he caught sight of the dozen different cages occupying the space, each of them holding either a soul or already a fully developed black star.</p>
<p>This was...</p>
<p>''This is the place where you were created'', Yoongi explained quietly, carefully, as if the younger would break like glass if he happened to speak any louder.</p>
<p>It wasn't that far from the truth, his heart seemingly shattering in his chest and tears welling up in his eyes at the sight of all these boys squeezed into cages they barely fit into, unconscious, vulnerable and naked, waiting to be led to their fates by the weapons that chose them.</p>
<p>''After the stagnated soul's ego, their <em>self</em>, is removed, they can be recycled as a black star. Pretty cool, huh?''</p>
<p>The fact that Dino sounded genuinely impressed sickened Jisung, the older male already busy flitting between the cages to search for a suitable new partner, inspecting the boys like they were animals in a zoo.</p>
<p>He only halted his search for a moment, turning to Yoongi and gesturing at the cages as if inviting him to choose a new partner for himself too, the playful wink he gave met with an enraged scoff.</p>
<p>''You're insufferable'', his partner hissed, tightening his grip on Jisung's hand protectively. ''I don't need a new partner.''</p>
<p>He exchanged a glare with Dino who endured the scathing contempt that was thrown his way for a few seconds before he shrugged mindlessly, resuming his search.</p>
<p>Even though Jisung was glad that Yoongi wasn't keen on tossing him out like Dino would have done, the relief never made it to his heart when a boy suddenly stepped out of the shadows of the room, brown hair barely visible and the star below his left eye faintly glowing as he approached the two of them.</p>
<p>Unsure whether this black star meant harm or not, Jisung tensed, yet figured it was fine when Yoongi gave a nod to him, offering the soul he had kept to the boy.</p>
<p>''I've heard you wanted this one back, Changbin?''</p>
<p>Changbin's golden eyes sparkled with something the younger couldn't unpack, some dangerous, feral glint that was only there for the fragment of a second as he accepted the soul – Felix's, as Jisung realized with a start – and slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.</p>
<p>''Yes, thank you. We've been increasing the number of black stars, so we are currently recycling a lot of souls that have been brought to the tower.''</p>
<p>Yoongi nodded once more in understanding, slight unease pooling in his eyes as if there was something to Changbin's statement that irritated him, but before he could ask, a sharp whistle drew the guy's attention to Dino and his hunt for a new partner.</p>
<p>''Hey, do you have a recommendation for me?'', he queried from where he sat crouched in front of a cage, observing the boy inside of it. ''I want something like Felix, but more robust and maybe a tiny bit younger, got anything?''</p>
<p>The casual tone of voice was another punch to the gut, another wave of nausea rolling over him, another shiver running down his spine, and he found himself backing away, needing to get out of this place before he threw all up over the floor.</p>
<p>It sounded like Dino was merely picking out any regular item instead of an actual human being, and the harsh reality of just how messed up all of it was had him swiveling, his dash towards the door only interrupted when he noticed a mop of pink hair in a cage near the door.</p>
<p>Placed in such a way that he hadn't seen it upon entering, it was now impossible to miss the boy curled up in the cage, eyes closed and completely bare, displayed for everyone to see.</p>
<p>Jisung's legs buckled, his heart plunging to his stomach and his racing thoughts screaming at him that this scene was made up, but as he fell to his knees beside the cage, examining the boy's soft features and the star below his left eye, it became impossible to deny that this boy was... this <em>black star</em> was...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Jeongin.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No matter how much he willed his mind to stop playing tricks on him, no matter how ferociously he rubbed his eyes, what he saw didn't change, sending him into a panic fueled by images of the boy when he had last seen him.</p>
<p>Hurt, bleeding, broken, stuck in a repeated nightmare with his brother to be murdered time and time again.</p>
<p>He should have moved on to heaven by now, should have experienced holy salvation at the hands of the people who worked in the purification hall, so why was he here, being made into a black star to fight stagnated souls?</p>
<p>Jisung didn't understand, couldn't grasp why Jeongin was put through this when he deserved to rest, and before he was aware of it himself, hot tears rolled down his cheeks, his hands gripping the bars of the cage in anguish and sorrow.</p>
<p>''Jeongin...''</p>
<p>He was weeping, breaking down, blubbering for someone he had never known in life, had only caught a glimpse of in death, yet it didn't even matter, neverending sobs and whimpers spilling from his lips at the prospect of subjecting <em>anyone </em>to what he was going through right now.</p>
<p>The existence of a black star, if it could even be called existence, was a dismal, miserable one that he wouldn't wish on anyone, least of all someone like Jeongin who must have already experienced living hell over and over.</p>
<p>Vaguely aware of Yoongi's arms around him, Jisung pulled himself together long enough to shoot a glare at Changbin, deeming him to be the one to call the shots when it came to the creation of black stars.</p>
<p>''Why Jeongin?'', he demanded, voice thick and cracking halfway through, vision still blurry from tears. ''Why him?''</p>
<p>There was a sigh from Changbin, followed by an amused snicker from Dino, and Jisung wiped at his eyes, suddenly feeling embarrassed and weak for breaking into tears in front of these people.</p>
<p>''I don't pick and choose the souls that are made into black stars'', Changbin gave back, that same glimmer of <em>something </em>in his gaze and a sliver of disapproval discernible in his voice. ''But even if I did, it's none of your business, is it?''</p>
<p>The younger was about to disagree, a flame of rebellion licking at his insides, hot and unforgiving, only soothed by Yoongi warningly pinching his arm, a reminder not to step out of line that he tried to internalize with a deep breath.</p>
<p>Dino's derisive smirk as the boy straightened up wasn't helping at all in his effort to keep himself under control and he could feel his knuckles turning white from where he was gripping the bars of the cage unnecessarily tightly, his anger seemingly exploding with the next sentence that left Dino's mouth.</p>
<p>''This Jeongin boy... Is he up for grabs?''</p>
<p>No amount of pinching or hissed reprimand for him not to take the bait could have stopped him from roaring up and lunging for Dino, the fury possessing him coming straight from the deepest corners of hell, brutal and murderous, enough to ignite his eye flame.</p>
<p>From the corner of his eyes, he saw a golden flame flare up, but before he could even comprehend what this meant, Changbin had grabbed Dino, willing him into weapon form and crashing the steel hammer right into Jisung's stomach, his movements nothing short of fluent professionalism.</p>
<p>The impact wasn't nearly as devastating as it probably could have been, yet it still knocked him back quite violently, his back hitting the hard metal of Jeongin's cage and making him drop to his knees a second time, heaving and gasping for air as his arms wrapped around his stomach.</p>
<p>Yoongi didn't even seem to feel sorry for him this time.</p>
<p>''Timeout! Both of you!'', Changbin demanded, sounding positively pissed off as he shoved the hammer to the ground, the crash turning Dino back in an instant, the boy groaning in – well-deserved – pain.</p>
<p>''He started it'', Jisung weakly countered, his words really only audible to himself and Yoongi who rolled his eyes, but had to hide a content smile at his partner's antics, having been equally as fed up with the arrogant boy as Jisung himself.</p>
<p>It served to make the corners of his mouth twitch upwards in amusement for a couple seconds before he remembered their situation, eyes taking on a hard glare again and hands clenching to fists.</p>
<p>The silence that ensued between them was unnatural, spiked with poison, tense with anticipation who would speak next, who would try and defend themselves, but it lasted only a few seconds, Changbin sighing again and rubbing his temples.</p>
<p>''I already have a partner for Jeongin, so there's no use fighting over it.''</p>
<p>''Who?'', Jisung immediately pried, a protective need taking over him, but his question was answered when another familiar boy suddenly entered the room with a heap of clothes in his arms, black hair and red eyes giving away his status as a weapon.</p>
<p>And even if it had been some time since Jisung had last seen him, he recognized the boy with a jolt the moment he scanned over his face, fondness overcoming him and a choked up sob escaping his lips, both out of frustration and out of relief.</p>
<p>
  <em>Jungkook.</em>
</p>
<p>It only made sense, he supposed, since he had brought Jeongin's and Jungkook's souls to the tower at the same time, but to see them reunited like this, no longer as brothers but black star and weapon, was both heartbreaking and touching at the same time.</p>
<p>It was a burden lifted off his shoulder, the reprieve of not being exposed to a partner the likes of Dino a blessing, yet at the same time, it was a haunting recall of Jisung's own existence, of the fact that black stars were something temporary, something <em>replaceable</em>, the realization of which made his chest ache.</p>
<p>His gaze met Jungkook's for a brief second, blank, unseeing, before the older pushed past him quite vigorously, crouching down in front of the cage and making Jisung scoot to the side, his eyes never leaving the boy's profile as he reached out to undo the lock on the cage door.</p>
<p>Having never been involved in the birth of a black star, Jisung wasn't sure what to expect, yet he paid close attention to each of Jungkook's fluent, elegant movements, seeming practiced even with the lack of experience as he slowly heaved Jeongin out of the cage, the boy unconscious and looking a little paler compared to their first meeting.</p>
<p>A little more... <em>dead</em>, as ridiculous as that prospect was.</p>
<p>Jisung didn't watch as Jungkook dressed Jeongin, but he did glance at the black star as soon as the older was done, taking in his attire that consisted of a white sleeveless shirt, a black tie with a star sewed into the fabric, and the same hot pants and black boots that basically all black stars wore.</p>
<p>Jeongin still wasn't awake, hadn't even stirred during the procedure, but Jungkook didn't appear worried as he got up and approached Changbin in a silent request.</p>
<p>Jisung wondered what that was about, but held his tongue when the black star grasped Jungkook's hand and willed him into weapon form, a triple edged sword coming to rest in his palm.</p>
<p>It was a relatively easy weapon to wield, at least compared to what Felix had been forced to use, the memory inducing another wave of nausea as Changbin strode over to the motionless boy, cowering down next to him and pressing the sword into his hand, the action ritualistic as much as it was graceful, the essence of any black star boiled down into a single movement.</p>
<p>The first contact between weapon and black star was something like lightning striking, a surge of energy shooting through Jeongin's veins, and Jisung actually flinched as the boy's eye flame ignited for the first time, his eyes opening so abruptly that it seemed like he had never even been unconscious at all.</p>
<p>The chestnut brown Jisung used to associate with Jeongin's eyes was gone, replaced by a lively pink matching the color of his hair and, naturally, his eye flame.</p>
<p>As the boy sat up, regarding his new surroundings like he had never seen anything else, there was no trace of that boyish, innocent look from back then, the playful smile, the gleam in his eyes completely wiped out.</p>
<p>There was no spark of recognition when his gaze rested on Jisung, no sympathy for his probably rather disheveled appearance, no remnant of any sort of emotion he might have harbored in life.</p>
<p>It was like Dino had said.</p>
<p>Jeongin's ego, his sense of self, his <em>personality</em>, it was thoroughly eradicated in order to make him into the black star he was required to be.</p>
<p>Following a duty to capture stagnated souls and nothing more.</p>
<p>Jisung felt like he was looking into a mirror of himself, vulnerability burning beneath his skin at the black star's blank expression, the same one he had worn every waking second of his existence in the Threshold.</p>
<p>His head was spinning, his hands growing clammy as he struggled to continue breathing normally, and he took a step back, bumping into Yoongi who grabbed his shoulders, steadying him before he could fold into himself.</p>
<p>However, Jisung was well past the point of inconsolable, especially when he caught Dino's bored gaze or Changbin's unreadable, austere one as he gestured for Jeongin to get up.</p>
<p>''Black star 01090802, welcome in the Threshold.''</p>
<p>No. <em>No.</em></p>
<p>This was all kinds of wrong, all kinds of disrespectful and selfish, all kinds of cruel torture.</p>
<p>Despite his subconscious warning him of the consequences, Jisung desperately reached out and grabbed Jeongin's arm, shifting the black star's attention to him, a single sentence, a single <em>emotion</em>, spreading through his mind like wildfire.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''It was fun.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Jeongin'', he gasped, insulted how fragile, how pathetic his voice sounded, yet forcing himself to keep going anyway. He had to know. ''Was it fun?''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The silence that followed his question was the most deafening sound Jisung had encountered so far.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I do not have an obsession with putting SKZ in cages (despite what certain other people will tell you), so this will totally be the first and last time this happens. </p>
<p>Totally.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Trust me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. [Scene 5]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jisung couldn't stop shivering.</p>
<p>The illusionary, sparkling sun above him did its best to warm his skin, gentle caresses from stray sun rays tickling his hair as he dragged his feet along the concrete stones under him.</p>
<p>The market place conjured by yet another stagnated soul was entirely deserted, a swift breeze his only companion since not even Yoongi was beside him right now, a disheartened, pleading request from Jisung convincing him to stay back for a while even if he had been reluctant about letting the younger stroll around the Threshold on his own.</p>
<p>After his reunion with newly created black star Jeongin, Jisung craved nothing more than a moment completely to himself to face his anguish, his mental derail that kept him from doing his duty, and sort out where he was supposed to go from here.</p>
<p>It was obvious he couldn't continue like this, chasing echoes of himself while attempting to pursue his original path, the results served to him flashing in his mind in form of Minho pleasantly devouring souls, of Felix dissolving into light, simply because he hadn't been concentrating on the task at hand.</p>
<p>Swayed by illusions of people, even <em>animals,</em> he had no relation to, his hesitation stirred from sympathy, the emotion festering in his heart like an unwanted weed, but he found with increasing certainty that he didn't want to rid himself of that obvious weakness.</p>
<p>A black star wasn't meant to develop a will of their own, merely seen as a tool to fulfill a goal, but Jisung strived to express himself, to explore a road not taken in his being and to learn about all those emotions they had removed from him after his death.</p>
<p>He wanted to know about the circumstances of his life, how he came to be, what he enjoyed doing, even the context of his premature passing, all of which remained as a mystery to him, a black void taking up space in his brain in order to forge him into something he never wanted to be.</p>
<p>Without a hint why he was here, without a reason to move on, he was kept in the Threshold, a stagnated soul turned black star without any real purpose to his existence.</p>
<p>Closing his eyes and rubbing his arms to warm himself, he padded through the empty village despite Yoongi's warning not to wander too far off and return immediately once he stumbled upon an illusion, no matter which scale.</p>
<p>He needed a little more alone time, just a little more room to sort out the muddle in his mind, the festering memories calling him to the freedom he longed for, the spiraling thoughts pushing him to give into his fate as a black star.</p>
<p>He was stuck in an all-encompassing fog, unable to see the future ahead of him or decide in which direction to press forward, and he was slowly losing his mind, his steps on the concrete faltering, all strength in his body draining and freezing him into place.</p>
<p>Considering to turn around and run from himself, his choice was taken from him when a hummed melody wafted towards him, gently, beautifully accompanied by a soft, incredibly clear voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''No matter when, I'll be the light among the hazy fogs;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No matter where, when you lost your way, when you want to rest;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>My universe.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Entranced in an instant, Jisung felt a pull to follow the disembodied voice to its source, to revel in the beauty of the lyrics washing over him like warm rain, easing the perpetual coldness under his skin with an angel's kiss.</p>
<p>It was caramel with coffee, hot chocolate on a chilly winter night, a smile shared between two friends, fondness and comfort in its purest form, drawing so many pleasant feelings out of him that he couldn't resist even if he would have tried.</p>
<p>The angelic, heavenly vocals led him to a covert alley, pictures of gruesome red and mangled limbs eased down, chased out of his mind the moment he set his sight on the boy standing in the middle of the alley, back to Jisung as he was singing his song.</p>
<p>He seemed harmless, innocent, yet hypnotizing all the same, gaze observing the crystal clear sky and the bright sun that created a halo around his head, his outline seeming to glow in an iridescent light.</p>
<p>He was an angel.</p>
<p>Jisung stopped walking once he deemed himself close enough, merely a few steps between him and the boy as he lowered himself to the ground, overtaken by a desire to keep listening to the fascinating song, to indulge in the boy's presence, to let himself fall into a dream of sweet tunes and clear voices.</p>
<p>Pulling his legs to his chest, he rested his head on his knees, drifting, drifting, dreaming.</p>
<p>Exhaustion pulled on very fiber of his being and he gladly fell into a comforting slumber provided by his own mind, his memories dancing across his inner eye to the melody of the boy's song.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The general store closest to Jisung's home was always empty this time around.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was a neat, tiny building squeezed in between a bakery and a pet shop on one of Seoul's many busy streets, the stream of students making their way to or from school seeming never-ceasing on most days.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Caught in the routine of their lives, they went their ways aimlessly, slaved away their limited time with homework and other useless things, and only ever dared to dream in their sleep.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung found it all rather depressing, boring for what it was, the monotone melancholy of living a cookie cutter life having never seemed particularly attractive to him, so granted, it hadn't come as a huge shock when he had dropped out of school in order to pursue his dream of becoming an idol.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>How that was working out for him, he truthfully had no idea, but he liked to think he was on the best way, even being stuck in a limbo between attending company auditions and practicing his skills whenever he had a second to breathe.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was certainly stressful, straining, demanding, but it was rewarding all the same, and about a thousand times better than sitting off his days in school.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Especially because it gave him more freetime to do the things <b>he </b>liked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Grabbing a package of bread rolls and dried sardines off a shelf, he made a little smalltalk with the cashier before visiting the pet shop right next door, the golden bell at the entrance giving a pleasant jingle as he entered.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The store owner's son, Jaeyun, was behind the counter counting some bills, looking up as Jisung approached him, a smile painted on his features, for he knew exactly why the boy was so keen on stopping by, the sardines serving as additional proof.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Are you here to see Soonie?'', he still asked regardless, the frantic nods he got in return causing him to laugh as he led Jisung over towards the box that held the kitten, nagging and impatient meows turning to delighted purrs as Jisung offered a sardine to Soonie.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Acquainted with this ritual, the cat sat perfectly still for a few seconds, staring up at the object of its desires with big, round eyes until Jisung took mercy on her and dropped the fish into the box, Soonie immediately pouncing on the food.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As he watched her eat with a fond smile, something around her neck suddenly caught his attention, a golden collar with a tag hanging off it sparkling in the artificial light of the shop, bearing initials that he couldn't recognize.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Curiosity piqued, Jisung carefully reached out to have a closer look at the tag, the lettering <b>LM</b> etched into the material, and he furrowed his brows, setting the rest of the sardines aside – much to Soonie's dismay.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''LM? Don't tell me you sold her?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His tone had no business being as accusing as it was, considering he hadn't even owned Soonie in the first place, but he still felt thrown off and betrayed that Jaeyun hadn't even bothered to give him a heads-up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I did. Her new owner was supposed to pick her up this morning, but he hasn't come by yet.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung glanced outside, at the sky tinted in the golden orange and deep blue of dusk, enveloping the city in a magical aura of serene tranquility.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The golden glow illuminated the outlines of buildings, ethereally and beautifully announcing the end of the day, promising a gentle night to swoop the rest of the light away. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It definitely wasn't morning anymore.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Oh'', he said and nothing more.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You're so distracted today'', Chan commented, snapping his fingers in front of Jisung's face and pausing the track they were currently working on, waiting until the younger blinked in confusion, forcing himself out of the haze he had spent already the majority of his day in. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It seemed difficult to focus his attention on anything, his thoughts inevitably always wandering back to the pet store and Soonie's owner who hadn't turned up even after a whole week of Jisung secretly glancing through the shop window on his way home, always catching the kitty curled up in her box.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He wondered what kind of person this owner was, if he had forgotten to pick up his cat, if he had changed his mind without informing anyone, or if there had been something else getting into his way.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Something more... drastic.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It really wasn't his business, but his lack of knowledge, of closure, was driving him up the wall, igniting some kind of worry inside of him, as well as resentment for this guy that he didn't even know.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>How dare he not turn up?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung had known Soonie since she had been a tiny kitty, having been informed by Jaeyun that one of their cats had given birth to a few cute kittens, all of which Jisung would have adopted in a heartbeat had he possessed money.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Really, the only reason Soonie even had to wait for this asshole to pick her up was him continuously being short on money due to his investments in producing equipment, a vocal coach and all those other things that would help him get into a company.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And low and behold, now that he <b>had</b> gotten into one, Soonie was sold to some dude that probably couldn't even make time to tend to her. Rotten luck on Jisung's part.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''See, you're doing it again'', came Chan's stern voice for what felt like the tenth time that evening, the interruptions fraying his nerves more than he would ever admit. ''Look, if you're not feeling up for producing, that's fine and all. Get some rest if you need to, but I would really like to get some work done now, so if you could...''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He made a dismissing gesture towards the door, the movement vigorous enough to slightly dislocate his oversized hoodie, and Jisung stared in poorly disguised horror at the round burn marks right below Chan's collarbone, hidden where no one would see them.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Seeming to realize that he had fucked up, Chan adjusted his hoodie to conceal the ugly bruises, very needlessly so since Jisung had already seen them, his gaze strangely unwavering, absent, contemplating.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Hyung'', he tried, only to have the older wave him off like it wasn't important, like there weren't dozens of bruises inflicted on him, probably even more, that Jisung had never gotten to hear about, hadn't even known about until this instant.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Who was hurting him? Why was Chan keeping something like this from him? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It wounded Jisung's ego, instantly put him in a vulnerable position, made him walk on egg shells, afraid to say anything that might set the older off, that might push him over the edge.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Still, he gathered his courage to speak up, feeling like it was only fair that he offered his help to the one person that had helped settle him into the company comfortably.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Hyung, we should...''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He immediately broke off and flinched back when Chan turned to him, his terrifying, hard glare seeming to pin Jisung to his seat in an unspoken order to shut his mouth.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Talk?'', he hissed, shaking hands grabbing for his headphones, though whether it was rage or fear consuming him was unclear. ''As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing we need to talk about. Get out.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A clear command, given in the tone of a natural born leader, and Jisung would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated, yet he still tried to meet Chan's gaze, managing to stand the biting hatred for a hot five seconds before he had to look away.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And even though he knew he should press further, even though he knew he shouldn't oblige, shouldn't stay silent, he still backed off after catching the desperate, painful gleam in Chan's eyes, the plea for him to just leave it alone.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He merely said one last thing.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Chan hyung, I—''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Jisung!!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yoongi's exasperated voice startled Jisung out of his dream without a care for the scene he was forcefully interrupting, the tense moment between Chan and him broken, lost to the depths of his mind where it had come from in the first place.</p>
<p>His body felt sore, locked up, like he had spent several hours on the ground, yet without a solid concept of time, a grasp of the speed at which the Threshold passed him by, it was difficult to determine how long it had really been.</p>
<p>The boy's angelic singing still resounded in his ears, clear tunes like a warm summer breeze on his skin, but as Jisung lifted his head sleepily, he could make out that the boy had turned around, facing him while his gentle song spilled from his lips.</p>
<p>Eyes closed and putting his all into his voice, with his light blue shirt softly fluttering in the wind and a pleasant smell of roses in the air, he seemed even more ethereal as before, and Jisung would have probably gazed at him for all eternity if Yoongi's voice hadn't cut through the magical moment again, sharp and urgent.</p>
<p>''Jisung, get away! He's a stagnated soul!''</p>
<p>Reacting on an instinct drilled into him by the pressing alarm, the raw dread, in his partner's voice, he shot up instantly, staggering, shaky as he backed away a few steps, the boy's eyes suddenly opening to reveal blank spheres of despair.</p>
<p>The previous angel-like voice wavered, broke, all control lost as it turned into a high-pitched wail, a ringing screech that set Jisung's teeth on edge, his body growing cold as ice at the nature of that scream.</p>
<p>Pained, deeply wounded, anguished, heartbroken, the boy in front of him shrieked, a haunting replay of the stagnated soul back in the soul chamber striking him with such a force that it stole his breath and he floundered, his brain short-circuiting.</p>
<p>Yoongi made an attempt to grab him, get him out of the boy's proximity, yet he moved a second too late, the ground beneath them shattering like glass, making both Jisung and the boy tumble down into the hole, Yoongi's cry all but buried under the sound of the boy's screeching, as well as the rumble of concrete that rained down on them.</p>
<p>Without a weapon to defend himself, nor a chance to prepare for and break his fall, Jisung hit the bottom of the hole hard, white-hot agony erupting in his body at the impact even if he hadn't fallen that deep.</p>
<p>The screeching didn't stop as he pushed himself up on shaky arms, rooted suffering, vast misery fueling the boy's voice, but he didn't get to ponder the origins of that pain, the ground shaking a second time, demanding and jerkily.</p>
<p>For a terrifying moment, he feared they would fall further, yet he was proven wrong when green tendrils suddenly sprouted from below him, charging at him <em>like the cables in Chan's studio had done</em>.</p>
<p>He let out a yell that was part surprise and part shock, seeing more tendrils reaching up from the hellscape they had escaped from, surrounding him, cornering him, wanting to drag him down with them, and he jumped to the side when the first one attempted to snatch his arm.</p>
<p>There were so many emerging from the soil, curling, twisting like insects, <em>like snakes</em>, the memory of which paralyzed him, and he drew a shuddering breath, staring at the tendrils in some kind of morbid fascination, cruel recollection.</p>
<p>They lunged at him, ripping a feeble scream from his lips, but before they could actually touch him, there was a flash of gold, the brightness and radiance forcing him to shut his eyes.</p>
<p>He could feel himself being picked off the ground, cradled by a pair of foreign, strong arms that were warm and oddly comforting around him and despite himself, he eased into the contact.</p>
<p>It felt like he was floating, weightless as the gentle glow caressed him, encouraging him to concentrate solely on his breathing and on keeping his eyes closed.</p>
<p>When the blinding light slowly faded, he dared to peek at his surroundings, the first thing he was able to make out being Yoongi's worried, slightly annoyed face that let him know that he was out of the hole, the boy's screaming a bit more distant, less ear-shattering from here.</p>
<p>He was set down surprisingly gently by his savior who turned out to be Changbin, the black star's expression compassionate, tender, as he squeezed Jisung's trembling shoulders, eye flame flickering with a fleeting glance at the hole the boy was still in.</p>
<p>''Everyone who hears Seungmin sing is lost'', he explained gravely, Jisung's ears ringing from being exposed to the terrible screeching. ''He's like those sirens from greek mythology. He needs to be defeated.''</p>
<p>Changbin grasped Yoongi's arm, turning the older into weapon form and offering the sword to Jisung who nearly flinched back at the prospect of fighting Seungmin, his heart pounding at record speed in his chest and cold sweat dripping down his face.</p>
<p>He didn't know why he was suddenly so repulsed by the thought of combat when that was all he was meant to carry out, but he couldn't stop shivering, weak and pathetic whimpers escaping him as the sunlight made his sword's blade sparkle.</p>
<p>''I don't... I don't want to do it'', he forced out, terrified, nauseous, and Changbin's expression faltered, changing into a solemn, warning one as he guided Jisung's hand to his sword.</p>
<p>''The difference between a black star and a stagnated soul is infinitesimal.''</p>
<p>The words echoed in his mind with a whisper of Jeongin's name, his body cramping up as he closed his eyes.</p>
<p>''If you don't do anything, your fear will take over you. And then you turn into a stagnated soul as well.''</p>
<p>Terror grasped Jisung's heart in a vice grip, squeezing painfully, crushingly hard, the shivers racking his body only intensifying, the skin where he was touching his weapon on fire.</p>
<p>He didn't want to become a stagnated soul, didn't want to lead a miserable, illusionary existence, caught in his own spiraling, hopeless thoughts until a merciful black star stumbled upon him and took him out.</p>
<p>He wanted... He wanted...</p>
<p>''Black stars who hold onto their ego or are afraid to erase it will go insane in this world'', Changbin presaged with utmost conviction, a small smile tugging the corners of his lips upwards when Jisung sighed deeply, tightening his grip on his sword, giving into his fate.</p>
<p>With a grave nod, a forcefully controlled inhale and exhale, he stepped towards the edge of the hole, aware of Changbin's gaze boring into his back, aware of the shrieking sounds of misery from below that fought their way to the front of his mind.</p>
<p>
  <em>Defeat Seungmin.</em>
</p>
<p>Before the festering doubts could conquer him again, he made the careful jump down the hole, sword outstretched, cutting through a few tendrils that reached for him, their ends falling harmlessly to the ground.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''This place was never great.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chan's voice again, every thought, every word, every sound, like a recurring haze enveloping him, but he kept his mind in the present, fighting his way through the array of tendrils surrounding him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I never want to see you again. Fuck off.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Seungmin was right there, amidst the green vines, eyes still closed and seemingly screaming out his entire anguish, his entire torture, his entire <em>life</em>, the persistent noise gnawing at his brain, drawing forth unpleasurable, hazy memories.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Jisung, please... Please wake up...''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ignoring the pang of old fondness in his chest, Jisung raised his sword once he was in Seungmin's proximity, preparing himself to defeat the boy for the sake of retaining his existence as a black star.</p>
<p>He was just about to bring his weapon down on Seungmin's head when the boy suddenly opened his eyes a tiny bit, a sparkling galaxy, a blinding brightness greeting Jisung as his voice smoothed out, evened into the clear, beautiful tone he had used before.</p>
<p>The assault on Jisung's ears faded, a healing melody encompassing him once more, entrancing him, cradling him in an embrace of purity, and he could feel the tension seeping out of his body, his muscles relaxing completely.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>This was nice.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He closed his eyes, yearning to indulge in the angelic voice, in the way the air smelled like roses again, a flower garden of joy where he could breathe easily, but he didn't get to enjoy the sensation as pain suddenly exploded in his stomach.</p>
<p>He was sent flying towards the other end of the hole via another blow from the flailing tendrils, an ugly, sputtering gasp escaping him, yet he wasn't given any time to recover, instead dragged down as the vines wound around his arms and legs, pulling ferociously on his limbs.</p>
<p>Seungmin's voice was still clear, still so beautiful, still so ephemeral, but it did nothing to ease the ache spreading through his body like wildfire, his grip on the sword frail, uncertain, something he was reprimanded for with a sigh from above.</p>
<p>Turning his head slightly, he peeked at Changbin who stood at the edge of the shallow hole with a look of disappointment etched on his face, and even over the singing, Jisung could make out perfectly what he mumbled to himself.</p>
<p>''Have I overestimated you?''</p>
<p>The words weren't aimed at him in particular, merely an observation made by the other male, some calculations not adding up, but they still stung regardless, especially when Changbin caught him staring, his expression transforming into impassiveness, apathy.</p>
<p>For a moment, Jisung was almost scared that the other male would leave him here to get strangled by tendrils, his fears only spiking when Changbin turned away from the hole, but to his relief and panic, he merely called out to someone, requesting help on Jisung's behalf.</p>
<p>''Okay, Jeongin. Have at him.''</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence, accompanied only by Seungmin's sweet voice, the soulful song wafting through the air like a graceful butterfly, before Jisung heard thundering footsteps approaching them, Jeongin's figure dropping down into the hole, eye flame already active and weapon in his hands.</p>
<p>Truthfully, Jisung had no clue where the younger had <em>come </em>from, considering he hadn't seen him around, but he guessed in a world that was full of illusions anyway it wasn't hard for Changbin to call black stars to do his bidding.</p>
<p>Why Changbin wasn't coming down to help him and instead elected to have Jeongin do it was honestly beyond Jisung, but he figured this was hardly the time to question such things when Jeongin charged at Seungmin without a single hint of hesitation in his movements.</p>
<p>It only served to agitate Jisung, sudden panic and disapproval burning strongly under his skin, scorching him from inside out, and it was with a rapid swing of his sword that the tendrils binding him down fell off.</p>
<p>Stumbling to his feet, he nearly threw himself towards the younger black star, vaguely registering the energy shooting through his veins, igniting his eye flame, and the puzzled shout from Changbin that drowned in Seungmin's heavenly voice.</p>
<p>They couldn't do this. They <em>couldn't</em>.</p>
<p>He managed to grab the back of Jeongin's sleeveless shirt, the tug he gave the material enough to bring the younger out of balance, though only for a split second as he whipped around, their swords clashing in a mix of duty and revolt.</p>
<p>Jeongin was putting a lot of force into his strike, something that caught Jisung off guard as he struggled to match the younger's strength, feeling reminded of his encounter with Minho with the way their weapons rested against each other for a moment, hostility palpable.</p>
<p>They didn't speak and there was no need to, for Jisung saw the answers to his questions in Jeongin's blank expression, in the loyalty to his duty that was sickening to see, in the soulless thoughts that ran rampant in his mind.</p>
<p>He wasn't surprised when Jeongin withdrew his sword and brought it against Jisung's again with a force that had him stumbling back, faltering, recovering, while the younger turned around, attempting to strike down Seungmin who was still singing.</p>
<p>They couldn't do this. They couldn't interrupt the song.</p>
<p>Jisung wanted... He wanted...</p>
<p>Adrenaline pushing him forward, he jumped in front of Seungmin protectively, blocking Jeongin's powerful strike with his sword, metal vibrating from the strength of the attack, yet fading to nothing more than a meaningless sound in the presence of Seungmin's voice.</p>
<p>''Jeongin, don't'', he begged the black star, yet his gaze searched for Changbin's confused one at the top of the hole, aware that it wasn't Jeongin's decision to make.</p>
<p>''What is this supposed to be?'', Changbin asked, predictably irritated about Jisung getting in the way, but the younger didn't back down, raising his chin in defiance, his eyes probably sparkling with determination as he disclosed his request, pronouncing every word carefully to make sure the other understood.</p>
<p>''I want to hear Seungmin's song to the end.''</p>
<p>Changbin was stunned from the seemingly random demand, blinking a few times in poorly concealed bewilderment, but to his credit, he did gesture for Jeongin to back off.</p>
<p>The younger obliged after a few seconds, the indiscernible spark in his eyes slightly disheartening as his eye flame extinguished and his sword changed back into Jungkook's figure, but Jisung held hope, willing his own eye flame down as well.</p>
<p>He still kept Yoongi in weapon form, just in case Changbin or Jeongin changed their minds, though that was unlikely, the younger black star simply watching Seungmin quietly, swept away by his singing.</p>
<p>His voice reverberated even louder, even clearer now that there wasn't any fighting occurring and the tendrils seemed in awe as well, unmoving save for a slight, rhythmic swaying, rendered harmless at last.</p>
<p>As he listened, Jisung noticed himself getting choked up, his grip on his sword faltering as the first tears rolled down his cheeks and memories started dancing across his mind just like before.</p>
<p>A pleasant, sweet stream of honeyed recollections rolled past him like pictures of a movie, soundless, but tinted in so much tenderness, fond affection, <em>love,</em> that it didn't even matter, gazes exchanged like words, smiles traded in secret.</p>
<p>
  <em>Smiles.</em>
</p>
<p>It was a foreign feeling, fuzzy, burning, tickling, but Jisung remembered the smiles, the laughter that had filled out the room with sparkling joy, innocence in its purest form.</p>
<p>His life, even with all its hurtful ups and downs, had still been a beautiful blessing, the realization coming to him with Seungmin's peaceful smile, the last lines of his song drawing to a close in the rose scented air around them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I will always go towards you;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And go find you until the end.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Even slightly left behind, I'll catch up with you;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>My universe.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With the last words trailing off into satisfied, relieved silence, Seungmin let his benevolent gaze wander over each of them before he faced the bright blue illusion of the sky, stretching out his arms, an angel expecting to spread his wings and take off to heaven.</p>
<p>As he dissolved into light like the stagnated soul he was, Jisung observed rose petals slowly descending from the sky, a last goodbye and a token of gratitude at the same time, Jeongin watching them intently, magnetized by their beauty.</p>
<p>''It's said that a siren disappears on their own if someone hears their song without dying'', Changbin offhandedly remarked, catching a rose petal in the palm of his hand before it proceeded to dissolve like everything else Seungmin had created. ''Maybe Seungmin only wanted someone to listen to his song without interrupting.''</p>
<p>Jisung barely caught Changbin's words, neither did he notice Yoongi turning back or Jungkook looking at him funnily, too busy examining Jeongin's expression for any sign that he remembered.</p>
<p>The younger turned to him, sensing that he was being watched, and Jisung would be lying if he said there wasn't<em> something</em> in the gaze they exchanged, just the two of them, just two black stars on a joined search for answers.</p>
<p>
  <em>We don't have to fight.</em>
</p>
<p>An unspoken sentence hanging in the air between them, holding a meaning deeper than they could grasp, and even though Jisung would have liked to push further, to really make Jeongin <em>understand</em>, he could do nothing but hold his tongue when Changbin approached them, picking up the blue sphere of light left behind on the ground.</p>
<p>Seungmin's soul, acquired for the first time without any fighting, the likes of which seemed to impress Changbin as he gave a nod towards Jisung and Yoongi, a smile on his lips for a job well done.</p>
<p>
  <em>A smile.</em>
</p>
<p>Jisung remembered smiles from during his lifetime, all of them so warm, homely and cozy, but even with Seungmin's warm smile, his touching song, still so fresh on his mind, he noticed himself shivering again, his heart filled with a strange need, a desire that made his chest swell up.</p>
<p>He wanted to smile too.</p>
<p>Ever since he had entered the Threshold, he hadn't smiled a single time even though he had done that so often in life, always wearing one of his bright grins on his face even in his toughest, most depressing times.</p>
<p>Even with the burning pain he had endured, the words that had shredded his soul to pieces, the world resenting him until his last moment, he had smiled.</p>
<p>He wanted to do it again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>No, more than that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wanted...</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I want to be myself again.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Felix didn't remember.</p>
<p>He knew he had been here before, cramped into a cage that barely let him sit up without folding in on himself, the darkened room around him silent save for the soft breathing of other people, and only a few scarce light sources discernible in the darkness, blue spheres of light illuminating tiny patches of concrete.</p>
<p>He knew what this arrangement was, what <em>he </em>was and what he was meant to do, but he didn't remember, <em>never </em>remembered anything about himself, about the existence he led, what memories he made along the way or even why he was here.</p>
<p>He didn't know anything.</p>
<p>Nothing except fighting, fading, fighting.</p>
<p>Even with all recollection of his life gone, with his mind wiped blank, his body reconstructed, he still felt a heavy, crushing pressure weighing down on his heart, his soul.</p>
<p>Felix leaned his head against the bars of his cage, his arms wrapping around his bare body to warm himself as he stared into the darkness of this room, trying to find a reason for being.</p>
<p>There was no reason. Felix was just a tool.</p>
<p>Recycled trash that was recycled as trash.</p>
<p>No matter how many times he was created, how many times he was passed between hands, how many times he tried to remember, tried to ignore the burning pain in his chest, he always ended up right here at the end of it all.</p>
<p>Even with the possibilities of this world branching out endlessly in front of his eyes, every time he pressed forward, he found himself where he started.</p>
<p>Again. And again.</p>
<p>Not knowing. But knowing.</p>
<p>He wondered when it would stop. If it would ever stop.</p>
<p>There was the toss of a coin in the dark, the metallic sound of it hitting the concrete causing him to flinch, straining to make out where the sound had come from, who was hidden in the room.</p>
<p>Upon realizing that he couldn't see anything, he focused his energy on igniting his eye flame, the silver light barely reaching the boy that sat across his little cage, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.</p>
<p>It was a black star Felix had never seen around before, though from the few features he was able to discern, as well as the boy's relaxed posture, his experienced hands as he fumbled with his weapon and his sharp eyes, he could conclude that he was probably older than Felix.</p>
<p>The black star didn't say anything for a moment, examining Felix's face thoroughly as if he was searching for something before he heaved himself up, approaching the cage and allowing the younger to see him more clearly.</p>
<p>''You look delicious'', the boy whispered, a hungry glint in his eyes that made Felix shift nervously, unable to grasp the meaning of that statement, yet intimidated nonetheless. ''But I really need more devastation from you. More pain. More misery. More <em>emotion</em>.''</p>
<p>An emerald green flame flared up from the boy's eye, the flickering intensity, the raw power radiating from it pulling Felix into a haze, unveiling the memories stored away in the furthest corners of his conscience, the snippets of his ego, his self, that had been wiped time and time again.</p>
<p>''What do you crave? What do you regret? Why do you regret it?''</p>
<p>Leaning closer, the black star reached between the bars of Felix's cage, cupping the younger's cheeks tenderly, comfortingly, warmth spreading through his body, pooling in his heart as sparks of hope.</p>
<p>Old pictures, memories, slowly dripping from in between the cracks made into his mind, a shiver ran down his back and his breathing turned strained, heavy.</p>
<p>''Spill your guts to me'', the boy murmured, his voice honeyed, smooth, gentle as he stroked Felix's skin the way Hyunjin used to do after waking up from one of his many prominent nightmares, shaking and seemingly revolted about himself as he had pulled Felix into a crushing hug.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You're okay. I didn't hurt you. Thank god I didn't hurt you.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Jinnie, what are you talking about...?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I just... I'm so scared of myself, Felix. Of my thoughts.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A wave of painful fondness crashed over Felix at the memory, devastating, unstoppable, and with the tears that started springing to his eyes, the boy in front of him leaned even closer, impossibly close, the only obstacle between them the metal bars of the cage.</p>
<p>And as Felix's eye flame extinguished, a dying fire swept away by the darkness of the room, there was the faintest trace of a snicker, newfound desperation feeding into deeply-rooted hope.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Remember yourself and let me devour your soul.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Black star 1509...''</p>
<p>Changbin observed the corresponding square on the checkered board carefully, the coin representing the black star's soul state resting still, motionless on its white side.</p>
<p>Another one stagnated.</p>
<p>''Has stopped responding.''</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. [Scene 6]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy birthday, Bine! I know I've said it all on Whatsapp, but just know I love you so so so SO much and you deserve the world &lt;3</p>
<p>I was planning on uploading the remaining chapters sometime today, so you better watch out.</p>
<p>YOU BETTER WATCH OUT</p>
<p>(Also, these chapters are barely proofread, so I apologize.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cold.</p>
<p>Biting, unbearable cold, induced by phantoms of stormy clouds drifting along the sky, graceful snowflakes floating in the air, adding a gentle layer of white powder on the village that had faded into existence in front of them.</p>
<p>Street lanterns lit up with a golden glow lined Jisung's way, his cape, as well as his flimsy shorts and shirt, unable to keep out the icy chill the wind brought and he shivered, rubbing his hands together to create at least some sort of warmth.</p>
<p>Lately, he had been naturally cold everywhere he went, but the winterly weather the stagnated soul had summoned about was insufferable, even Yoongi freezing so much that he had shifted into raven form to be able to fluff his feathers up in an attempt to keep warm.</p>
<p>Jisung envied him, he really did.</p>
<p>His partner wasn't currently placed on his shoulders to escape the scathing wind though, instead flying somewhere above him, both to figure out the identity of the stagnated soul and to have an opportunity to think about what Jisung had said at their last mission.</p>
<p>It wasn't really a difficult task, especially after this long of a time working together, to figure out when Yoongi needed time for himself, and frankly, Jisung could use this moment of undisturbed peace just as well.</p>
<p>He knew what he said, just as well as he knew that he truly meant it, fed up with running away from himself, yearning to find out the truth about his existence in the Threshold and recover all he had lost to the duty of being a black star.</p>
<p>Above all, his smiles.</p>
<p>However, recalling Changbin's pitying expression after his declaration was dreadful, uncomfortable, as was him harshly shooting down Jisung's words like they were nothing, meant nothing.</p>
<p>For a world full of illusions, that might be true.</p>
<p><em>''What you feel right now isn't hope''</em>, Changbin had announced bluntly, no regard given to Jeongin who had gazed into the expanses of the world as if there was something there. As if he <em>understood.</em></p>
<p>The thought warmed his heart, though the feeling wasn't enough to reach his face and conjure a smile, no matter how much he wanted to smile.</p>
<p>He couldn't do it, but he believed. It was hope to him.</p>
<p>
  <em>''It's the desperation that will turn you into a stagnated soul.''</em>
</p>
<p>Jisung shook his head to expel the thought, puffing his cheeks as he strode down the snowy street and towards the center square, an endless stream of people pooling out of their houses and going along their way.</p>
<p>It was definitely a first, especially with Jisung's last missions as a background where only a very limited number of people were involved, the stagnated soul fairly obvious right from the get-go.</p>
<p>This time, it seemed like they needed to actually search, a feat far from simple considering how packed this village was, people of all ages out in the snow, looking down-trodden, depressed.</p>
<p>They were illusions, created from the stagnated soul's imagination, so it seemed reasonable for all of them to wear frowns as they mindlessly chattered to each other, words mingling in an incomprehensible, meaningless way.</p>
<p>Puppets controlled by a single string, Jisung tried to push his way through the stream, swaying back and forth in the mass of people, eyes wandering about the scene to determine if something, someone was out of place.</p>
<p>For a moment, everyone simply trodded forward, yet the peaceful rhythm of their steps on the ground was broken soon enough by a loud clatter of wood and the unmistakable splash of water hitting the stones, a furious voice following right after.</p>
<p>''Hyunjin, you dumb brat!''</p>
<p>There was a smack of skin against skin, a pained cry pushing Jisung towards the noise, and it was with a familiar weight on his shoulder that he realized Yoongi was back with him, figuring they had a pretty good chance of finding the stagnated soul here.</p>
<p>''Why would you put a bucket here, do you want me to trip?! Or did all your brain cells finally die from never being used?!''</p>
<p>With a rather aggressive nudge, Jisung managed to get past some onlookers blocking his view, the scene he was presented with being of two young males, probably brothers, in front of an old-fashioned tavern that seemed like it belonged into an earlier century.</p>
<p>Now that he thought about it, the entire illusion had a flair of medieval village, from the timber-framed hall houses that lined the road, the symbols and shabby signs made of wood that hung on said houses to the simple, basic clothing many bypassers possessed, tunics or linen enveloping their bodies.</p>
<p>Jisung had never consciously considered the possibility of a medieval soul ending up in the Threshold and remaining undiscovered by all other black stars until now, but then again, this world was certainly sizable enough to enable that.</p>
<p>He figured he didn't stand out all that much with his black cape, not that anyone was even paying attention to him in the first place, the few stray gazes that weren't glued to the ground in sorrow watching the exchange between the two brothers with muted curiosity.</p>
<p>The younger of the two, which Jisung assumed to be Hyunjin by context clues, was holding his cheek, whimpering as he scrambled to pick the bucket up; his long, dirtied blond strands falling into his face in disarray.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry, hyung'', he mumbled, the words barely audible and delivered in shaky apprehension, the older boy clearly dissatisfied, for he gave a harsh kick to Hyunjin's shin and scoffed in disdain.</p>
<p>''You're always so useless. Why can't you be like Felix?''</p>
<p>Hyunjin froze where he was and Jisung did as well, the familiar name sparking the well acquainted nausea that seemed to permanently reside inside of him lately, just waiting for a chance to erupt.</p>
<p>His hands were shaking at his sides, a haunting image of Felix bleeding out in the middle of that bamboo forest making him choke, and even if he knew that the Felix they would encounter here was merely an illusion, it didn't stop his eyes from welling up.</p>
<p>At the same time, his fury for Dino reignited, his condescending, arrogant tone echoing in Jisung's mind, the memory of the boy calling Felix <em>trash </em>so infuriating that the energy almost caused his eye flame to emerge.</p>
<p>Steadying himself, he willed the bubbling power down, taking a deep breath and pushing all thoughts of the other boy away, figuring a clear mind was essential for carrying out this mission.</p>
<p>There was no use getting worked up over Dino, neither was this any time to be thinking about Felix who was probably already made into a new black star, <em>recycled </em>for lack of a better word. It disgusted Jisung.</p>
<p>Across from him, he could see Hyunjin's eyes hardening, his jaw locking up in dangerously compressed anger, his grip on the empty bucket tightening, but before he could say anything, the older guy suddenly turned to Jisung, obviously having felt someone's stare on him.</p>
<p>Frankly, he wasn't the only one staring, watching, far from it actually, but the other villagers had learned to keep a low profile, only stealing quick glances, while Jisung was very open with his gawking.</p>
<p>And now he had been caught. Shit.</p>
<p>''What do you want?!'', the guy snarled, Hyunjin's attention inevitably following his brother's glare, his growing fury dissipating abruptly, making way for inquisitiveness and genuine interest.</p>
<p>He was objectively handsome, even with his disheveled hair, the cuts and faint bruises that littered his skin, the most prominent being the burn below his collarbone that was only revealed by a slight shift of his tunic from the wind.</p>
<p>Jisung hated that he was reminded of Chan yet again, hated that he still couldn't figure out the relationship between him and the older, just what had transpired for Chan to break off all contact with him so suddenly.</p>
<p>And why he could recall Chan's crying so clearly, a sound carried over from the last slivers of his consciousness during his last moments of <em>living</em>.</p>
<p>The thoughts of Chan were a lost ship on the wide waters of his mind, a mystery to be unraveled later, when he wasn't busy making up an excuse for blatantly spying on these people.</p>
<p>Wrecking his brain for anything that sounded vaguely believable, he caught sight of the wooden sign in front of the tavern, nearly snowed in and fairly weathered already, and an idea came to him.</p>
<p>''I'm Jisung, a traveler from afar–'', he started, pain rippling through his body at the memory of Jungkook's voice saying those same words, ''– who needs a place to eat and sleep for the night.''</p>
<p>The older guy scanned his face, seemingly searching for any sign that his pretense was made up, but Jisung held the boy's gaze confidently, hoping his get-up would further accentuate his point.</p>
<p>It took an awfully long moment of snowflakes dancing around them while they stared at each other, though the thick, uncomfortable silence was broken when Hyunjin cleared his throat, deciding to speak up on his brother's behalf.</p>
<p>''We can offer you a meal, but unfortunately, we don't have any spare chambers–''</p>
<p>''He can sleep in your room'', the older guy interrupted without even batting an eye, ignoring Hyunjin's sputtering, weak protest about renting out his room without his consent. ''The question is how much you'd pay.''</p>
<p>Oh right. Paying.</p>
<p>Money.</p>
<p>Being dead as long as Jisung, the concept of money tended to slip his mind more often than not, no value attached to something that could be produced by will in this world.</p>
<p>Still, the inhabitants of this illusion probably didn't know that he could conjure as much money as he wanted, so he pretended to think hard of a price he could offer.</p>
<p>He didn't know anything about the made-up currency they used here – and he doubted Yoongi had much of a clue either –, so he decided to test the waters.</p>
<p>''Five hundred.''</p>
<p>From the way Hyunjin nearly choked and the older guy's eyes immediately lost their hostility, it was obvious that he had just posed an insane amount, the fact only confirmed when the guy shoved Hyunjin towards the tavern so violently, urgently, that the younger stumbled over his feet and crashed to the floor.</p>
<p>The impact made a loud thud and Jisung flinched as the guy screamed again.</p>
<p>''Hyunjin, for fucks sake!! Can't you be useful for once in your pathetic excuse of a life and show Jisung his room?!''</p>
<p>Hyunjin heaved himself up, his agony apparent from the way he clutched his left arm to his chest and tried to reel in the tears that threatened to spill, but the guy didn't care, instead stalking over to Hyunjin's hunched figure and delivering a ferocious kick again.</p>
<p>''No wonder our parents like Felix more, he's not a let down like you after all! And he's not even blood-related to any of us!''</p>
<p>Jisung could see Hyunjin shaking, the rage seeming to return in full force at the mention of Felix's name, and his nails scraped along the wooden floor as a means to ground himself, some mumbled remark forcing itself past his lips that Jisung couldn't pick up.</p>
<p>The guy seemed to have understood though, leaning down to wrench the younger's head up painfully hard, a second of fierce, primal eye contact interrupted when the guy spat at Hyunjin with all the revulsion someone would show when faced with a particular nasty animal.</p>
<p>''Say that you're sorry'', he prompted, tightening his grip on Hyunjin's hair until Jisung could make out the first tears spilling from his eyes. ''Say it.''</p>
<p>Feeling like he should interrupt before things spiraled out of control, he took a small, hesitant step towards the pair on the ground, only to freeze up as another slap landed on Hyunjin's face, the boy gritting his teeth as he pressed the next words out.</p>
<p>''I'm <em>sorry</em> for not being Felix.''</p>
<p>''And you should be'', the older hissed, releasing his little brother before turning around and gesturing for Jisung to come in, an order he didn't dare disobey.</p>
<p>The guilt that came from being so impassive manifested in his stomach as an uncomfortable twinge, but he couldn't interfere until he had a clear picture of the situation, so with a queasy feeling, he watched Hyunjin get to his feet, pure hatred dripping off him as he entered the tavern.</p>
<p>The inside wasn't anything spectacular, simply a cluster of wooden tables with leather tablecloths and chairs that were strewn around, a bar at the front and dozens of candles illuminating the room, the dim, eerie vibe it gave off fitting Hyunjin's state of mind well.</p>
<p>There were a few patrons already seated, chatting leisurely while a blond boy flitted from table to table to tend to their needs, movements graceful as much as they were familiar.</p>
<p>''Felix!'', the older guy called out to the boy, Jisung's heart momentarily stopping when Felix abandoned his duty to skip over to them, a certain pep in his steps that instantly disappeared as he noticed Hyunjin turning away from him and leaving the room in a hurry through the back door.</p>
<p>''Is he alright?'', he asked worriedly, only earning himself a dismissive wave from the older guy that made him furrow his brows.</p>
<p>''He'll come around. By the way Lix, can you show Jisung here to Hyunjin's room? He's going to spend the night there.''</p>
<p>Felix seemed even more confused at that, but nodded anyway, his gaze flickering to Jisung without any visible recollection, only curiosity, and his face completely devoid of the telltale star under any black star's eye.</p>
<p>Like everyone else, he wore a simple brown tunic that reached to his thighs, a belt holding it in place and an embroidered emblem on his chest that Jisung didn't recognize.</p>
<p>It was a foreign look, especially since his attire was so different from the one proprietary to a black star, but this Felix was merely an apparition anyway, so he chose to tune out the strange pounding in his head as he followed the boy to the back door.</p>
<p>''The patrons in the tavern are so lovely'', Felix casually remarked, giving the table he had worked at previously a sign that he would be back in a minute. ''Just now I was talking to a guy who brought his hamster here and it's the cutest thing I saw all day.''</p>
<p>Yoongi stirred violently at the word <em>hamster</em>, but before Jisung had any chance to wonder why his partner was getting agitated, he felt the light weight on his shoulder disappear, the raven taking off towards a particular table with a demanding croak and extended wings.</p>
<p>The boy at the table didn't seem surprised, didn't recoil as Yoongi abruptly plunged down, didn't bat an eye at the squeal that pierced the air and <em>definitely </em>looked unbothered when a flash of white consumed the room for a split second.</p>
<p>It all happened so fast that Jisung barely had time to blink in confusion, but suddenly, there were two figures on the table, Yoongi all but hovering over another boy's chest, looking like he was strangling the guy who fought back against the grip fiercely.</p>
<p>It was with a jolt that Jisung realized that the guy was Kihyun and as voices of terror and fear erupted in the tavern, he recognized the boy still sitting at the table as Minho, green eyes sparkling in amusement and satisfaction.</p>
<p>Despite the utter chaos stemming from a raven and a hamster randomly turning into boys and fighting each other right there on the table, he looked uninvolved, taking a sip of his drink before getting up, his eye flame flaring up and sending the patrons into an even more panicked frenzy.</p>
<p>Felix screeched something about witchcraft, fleeing the room through the back door, his shout mingling with those of the patrons who scurried to get out of the tavern, wanting to escape with their lives despite being nothing but made up illusions.</p>
<p>In the midst of it all, Minho approached him, slowly, patiently, and Jisung backed away, his eye flame igniting as well, fueled by uneasiness and an odd sense of defiance, sapphire blue staring at emerald green.</p>
<p>Neither of them had their weapons, so it should be fair game, yet the menacing, threatening, <em>hungry </em>glint in the older's eyes told him that it was anything but, the way Minho inched in on him like a spider unsettling, to say the least.</p>
<p>Still, showing any sort of fear was only what he wanted, so Jisung schooled his expression into a tense frown, moving back with every step Minho made towards him, keeping their distance constant even if he was well aware that the older was steering them further away from their weapons like this.</p>
<p>Well, he figured he couldn't really count on Yoongi anyway right now.</p>
<p>''Why are you here?'', he inquired, his voice coming out more scratchy than he would have liked as he maneuvered through the door without taking his eyes off Minho, the chuckle he received causing him to narrow his eyes at the male.</p>
<p>''For the same reason you are here. To catch the stagnated soul.''</p>
<p>Jisung almost broke into a bitter laugh, knowing full well they were both driven by a very different goal, brutal destruction meeting despairing hope in a clash of contrary values, and even the thought of Minho putting them on the same pedestal was insulting.</p>
<p>Minho wasn't here to help a stagnated soul overcome its emotional turmoil, he had merely sought this place out to condemn another innocent individual to an eternity of suffering, another soul unable to move on, ending up in the older's stomach as nothing more than a snack.</p>
<p>It was cruel, yet Minho seemed content, at ease with his doing as he threw him a dark, daring gaze that made Jisung's muscles tense up in anxiety and fear.</p>
<p>''Hyunjin's soul is mine'', Minho declared confidently, utmost certainty dripping from his voice, and Jisung opened his mouth to protest, the words never making it out when Minho suddenly leapt forward, lunging for him like a predator pouncing on its prey.</p>
<p>Fueled by an onslaught of adrenaline, Jisung whipped around in an instant, taking off running down the narrow hallway of the tavern with thundering steps right behind him and a pounding pulse in his temples.</p>
<p>The stone walls beside him were unrelenting, a prison seeming to inch closer with every flicker of the old-fashioned lamps, a rising anxiety born from his unstable mind, but nonetheless he pressed forward, hoping to find a door at the far end.</p>
<p>It seemed to take an eternity, the hallway stretching out far beyond what should be possible, the goal never seeming in reach on this long trial of endurance that was symbolic for Hyunjin's state of mind.</p>
<p>A dreadful feeling gnawed at Jisung's insides as he finally reached an old, worn-down wooden door, yet he didn't have time to contemplate whether it was safe to open with Minho hot on his heels, so he pushed against it harshly, the wood swinging open and revealing a rather unusual scene.</p>
<p>Instead of a room or a hall, like Jisung had expected, the door led right towards an endless beach, crystal clear blue skies above, white, powdery sand beneath and the roar of imposing waves in front of him that had him staggering, a drop of remembrance falling on the waters of his mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Waves. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Destructive, swirling waves, swallowing anything that was tossed to them in an abyss of nothingness.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Leering voices, teetering at the edge of his conscience, musing about the water's ferocity in heartless delight, faceless mannequins holding onto his arms, pushing him towards the sea.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In eerily synched practice with the memory filling out his head, with the color draining from his face, with the rapid beating of his heart, the goosebumps overtaking his skin and the constricting pressure on his throat, he was pushed forward, a clearer picture given to him as soon as he caught Hyunjin's heaving figure in the sea.</p>
<p>The water reached up to his hips, drenching his pants, his tunic, but he had long since stopped noticing, too entranced, lost in the way his hands had wrapped around something, pushing, holding it below the surface.</p>
<p>Even with sparkling drops spraying all around him from violent, primal movements under the water, desperation and fear clearly palpable, Hyunjin didn't budge, pressing down as if to choke out his own demons.</p>
<p>He was shaking, sobbing, the act he was committing one of vile, hideous nature, yet even knowing that, he wasn't able to stop his hatred, his jealousy from getting the better of him.</p>
<p>A precious bond torn in two, he was drowning someone he had once considered family, murder the only prospect capable of easing the heavy load on his mind, capable of giving him a chance to move forward, capable of enabling him to <em>live. </em>To be himself.</p>
<p>He yearned to live so much that he was willing to eradicate someone's life to fulfill his own goal, too burdened by Felix's mere existence to be able to let him live, no matter how little he grasped the unfair favoritism.</p>
<p>This Felix was merely an illusion, yet Jisung still felt for him, the urge to interfere taking hold of him, the desire not to watch him die again forcing him to leap forward.</p>
<p>He barely managed to take a step though before Minho's hand closed around his arm tightly, yanking him back with such momentum that he lost his balance, stumbling backwards right into the older's surprisingly warm and broad chest.</p>
<p>Hesitating for a second too long, Minho caged him with his arms, one coming up to squeeze his neck and the other sneaking around his waist, rendering him immobile and helpless, what little strength he was able to draw upon no match for Minho.</p>
<p>Still, with the scene in front of him stirring something up in his heart, he attempted to struggle anyway, ignoring the way the older warningly tightened his grip, only pressing Jisung closer.</p>
<p>''Let go of me'', he wheezed in a barely audible protest, irritation flaring up when all Minho did was lean close to his ear, his hot breaths sending a shiver through his body.</p>
<p>''Oh, but why don't we enjoy the show together?''</p>
<p>He purred like a cat, voice teasing and light even with a murder taking place a few meters away, Hyunjin's wails, his sobs, wafting through the air over towards them, his regret deeply-rooted and burning, yet unable to make him change his mind.</p>
<p>Minho soaked up the desperation like a sponge, reveling in the pitiful, heartbreaking sounds as if they were the most beautifully composed piece of music he'd ever heard, and it was nothing short of revolting to Jisung.</p>
<p>''I want you to remember, Jisungie'', came a sweet whisper in his ear again, the nickname dripping off Minho's tongue like honey, his body relaxing in the older's hold despite his resolution not to let Minho's words affect him.</p>
<p>''I want you to show me all your raw pain. Your crushed hopes, your suppressed screams, your despairing heart... I want to feast on everything you have.''</p>
<p>The sensual, pleasant way he talked contrasted the disturbing content of his statement, and not for the first time Jisung wondered what the exact purpose of him eating souls might be, whether it was simply for the hell of it or if he was actively pursuing a goal.</p>
<p>He briefly toyed with the thought of asking Minho, yet discarded that idea almost right away, deeming their current situation not appropriate, especially as a splash, followed by even more devastated whimpers, drew his attention back to Hyunjin, the boy having fallen to his knees in the water, weeping, crying about the despicable thing he had just done.</p>
<p>In front of him, emerging from the smooth surface of the sea, were sparkling particles of light, proof that Felix had dissolved, proof that the illusion was gone, but to Jisung's surprise, Minho let out a satisfied groan from behind him, releasing him in favor of dashing towards Hyunjin.</p>
<p>Startled, Jisung stumbled after him, about to point out that this illusion of Felix didn't <em>have</em> a soul when Minho reached into the endless blue, carefully fishing out a vibrant blue sphere of light that immediately made the younger's heart plunge to his stomach.</p>
<p>Fuck.</p>
<p>Felix's soul.</p>
<p>He... he wasn't an illusion. He <em>wasn't</em>?</p>
<p>How was he not an illusion? What had happened to the star under his eye? Why wasn't he a black star anymore?</p>
<p>Trying to wrap his head around the mess that was currently brewing up in his mind, the world suddenly tilted dangerously on its axis, nausea forcing him onto his knees, making him stare up helplessly at Minho, desperate to say something that would convince him not to do this.</p>
<p>''Please don't...''</p>
<p>He choked on the words miserably, his body locking up completely, refusing to listen to him, and the older took joy in seeing him so agitated and riled up, mockingly holding Felix's soul right above his head.</p>
<p>Jisung wanted so badly to jump up and snatch it from him, but none of his muscles obeyed him, none of the signals for his body to <em>move </em>seemed to work.</p>
<p>The suffocating and exhausting reality that he kept letting Minho eat souls weighed down on him, forcing tears to his eyes as the older stuffed the soul into his mouth, savoring the taste for a few moments before swallowing.</p>
<p>Jisung felt sick.</p>
<p>Minho was a monster.</p>
<p>Obviously reading what he was thinking about, the older licked his lips with a smirk that might have been attractive under any other circumstance, leaning down and ruffling Jisung's hair in a fake gesture of comfort.</p>
<p>''Don't worry Sungie, Chan is inside me too. I'm sure Felix won't be lonely.''</p>
<p>The statement did little except tear a sound from Jisung's lips that was half frustrated growl and half heavy sorrow, the mention of Chan still a sore spot he wasn't able to get over, still igniting painful recollections that slipped out of his hands whenever he tried to reach them.</p>
<p>He wanted so desperately to remember, to unravel whatever it was that had brought him here, to know just why Chan seemed to have been so important in his life, but every time he attempted to make sense of any of it, he nearly broke down, ending up none-the-wiser.</p>
<p>It was all so disheartening.</p>
<p>He just wanted to remember.</p>
<p>''I can help you remember, sweetheart.''</p>
<p>The sound of Minho's sweet, innocent voice made Jisung want to reject the offer immediately and he glared at the older who merely shrugged, focusing his attention back on Hyunjin who still sat crying in the water, shaking and repulsed about himself.</p>
<p>Jisung wondered if he had even noticed what had happened to Felix's soul, the boy appearing as if he saw nothing except his own suffering.</p>
<p>Maybe he hadn't seen anything for a long time.</p>
<p>Selfish as much as desperate, he had harbored his violent urges deep inside himself, crushing the rather innocent yearning for love and affection he had never experienced in life.</p>
<p>''There, there.''</p>
<p>Minho crouched down in front of the boy, shushing him, stroking his hair lovingly and easing his sobs down, the sudden change in behavior from cruel to sweet confusing Jisung.</p>
<p>Minho was so unpredictable, swaying in a way that resembled the Threshold while at the same time existing independent of its influence, its norms, and yet it still came as shock when the older suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between Hyunjin and him and connecting their lips.</p>
<p>Jisung sputtered at the ridiculous scene, cheeks heating up and a suspicious twinge making itself known in his chest, but Minho ignored him fully, cupping Hyunjin's cheeks as he deepened the kiss, his eyes slipping shut to savor every last bit of the other male's taste.</p>
<p>Hyunjin was clearly caught off guard – because really, who wouldn't be –, yet didn't make a move to pull away, quite the contrary, as his body relaxed and he eased into the kiss, seeming thankful for the affection.</p>
<p>The two of them enjoyed the intimacy for a moment, lost in the feeling, in the sense of appreciation, assurance, <em>pleasure</em>, it brought, and while it made Jisung's stomach roil for a variety of reasons, he had a faint idea what Minho was trying to achieve here.</p>
<p>It was only confirmed when the older tightened his grip mindlessly, holding onto Hyunjin as the male started to dissolve into light, a single, fleeting kiss seemingly sating his desire to be loved.</p>
<p>Jisung didn't watch how the older devoured Hyunjin's soul, didn't trust himself not to tear up at the sight, but the satisfied groan Minho let out told him everything he needed to know and he shivered, staring down into the blue water below him, watching it fade out of existence.</p>
<p>''Why'', he heard himself asking, feeble, weak, his head spinning and his throat closing up, threatening to make him pass out right then and there. ''Why do you eat souls?''</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence and as Jisung dared to glance at the older, he saw Minho wiping his mouth, looking off into the endless expanse of the Threshold with some otherworldly melancholy.</p>
<p>His previous smirk was all but wiped off his face, his eyes glassy as they searched for something on the horizon that was not there anymore, a phantom destined to remain out of reach.</p>
<p>He seemed sad all of a sudden, a broken man hiding behind a facade of cruelty and playful smirks, and Jisung almost felt bad for asking, yet didn't have the capacities for that anymore, didn't have any words of consolation to offer.</p>
<p>He wondered if they would have made a difference anyway.</p>
<p>
  <em>''Just shut up. What do you even know about me?''</em>
</p>
<p>Chan's voice teetered at the edge of his conscience, the heavy load of memories erased, but never forgotten, and he closed his eyes as an onslaught of nausea distorted his vision.</p>
<p>It was always the same. Even in death it was always the same.</p>
<p>Feeling too miserable, too inherently weak to fight the grip of darkness reaching out to tug him under, he succumbed instead, the impact of his body on the checkered tile floor beneath him like a last proof of his failure as a black star.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The forceful push sent Jisung crashing right into the floor, his head hitting the wall with a sickening thud, and he winced, eyes tearing up as he looked up at Chan, nearly towering over him with a frustrated expression on his face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Leave me the hell alone!''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Somewhere behind the older, there were snickers of amusement, faceless marionettes pleased by the show orchestrated for them, but all Jisung could see in that moment was the regret in Chan's eyes, the hurt so clearly visible in his features.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I told you I don't want to see you again, what's so difficult to understand?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His voice was shaking. Not from boiling anger. Not from piled up annoyance. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>From fear.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was doing this on purpose.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Feeling reassured in his stance that Chan didn't <b>truly </b>hate him, Jisung made an attempt to get to his feet, not missing the unstable exhale from above him, the barely audible whimper.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He wasn't given any opportunity to prepare himself for the kick to his stomach, the way it knocked all air out of him and made him curl up on himself while the snickers in the background grew into ugly, derisive laughter that cut through the air like a knife, sharp and unforgiving.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Chan hyung'', he wheezed pitifully, before another kick had him wailing in pain, the sheer force his hyung was able to exert both terrifying and impressive. This was going to bruise for sure. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Shut up!'', Chan demanded once again, crouching down and forcefully grabbing Jisung's hair, the pull forcing him to meet the older's cold gaze, so fake and <b>empty </b>that it sent a shiver down his spine. ''Stay the fuck away from me!''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung only gritted his teeth in reply, his resolve unbreakable, his determination pushing him to glare at Chan, indicating that he wasn't going to back off, no matter what the older said.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>They stared at each other for a moment, tension palpable in the air between them, and Jisung could tell that Chan was crumbling.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He wasn't one for keeping up acts this long. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''You...''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was whispered, a word exchanged in secret, out of earshot for the faceless marionettes that indulged in other people's suffering. It was truth.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''You don't want to be seen with me. Please just stay away.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Waves. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Destructive, swirling waves, swallowing anything that was tossed to them in an abyss of nothingness.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Leering voices, teetering at the edge of his conscience, musing about the water's ferocity in heartless delight, faceless mannequins holding onto his arms, pushing him towards the sea.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Poor Jisungie'', someone bellowed, a harsh thrust making him stumble over his feet, the guys surrounding him laughing with all the cruel delight of a kid squashing an insect under their boot. ''Did that loser Chan finally cast you out, hm?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung stayed quiet, seeing no use in trying to defend either himself or Chan, too disappointed in the older for pushing him away for such a matter, the feeble attempt to keep him safe failed like it had been bound to.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He didn't mind bullying. He didn't mind being a target.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''You must be even more pathetic than he is!''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But he did mind Chan abandoning him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He did mind Chan playing the selfless hero, acting like he was shouldering the burden all by himself when in reality, he was nothing more than a selfish coward who hid behind his fake dreamworld and ridiculous savior fantasies.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A well-aimed kick to the back of his legs sent him to his knees into the water, faceless, condescending laughter of people he didn't know and didn't care for echoing in his ears.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was dunked under by too many hands to count, salty sea water rushing into his lungs even with an attempt to hold his breath, rushing into him like it owned him, and his heart began hammering, increasing in speed and intensity like a bird trapped in a cage.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Head pounding, threatening to explode from the pressure of having to inhale, he flailed in the unforgiving void, his struggle stirring up the dark, menacing abyss, but it was in vain when hands cold as ice closed around his limbs, keeping him in place, submerged and defenseless.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was floating, sinking. Fighting, surrendering. Dying, dead.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There was no way in which he could have possibly freed himself of the iron grip they had on him, but before his lungs could give out completely, the darkness sweeping him away into oblivion, he was suddenly hoisted up, brought to the surface with a gasp of desperation.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Struggling to inhale, to expel the water from his body, he shivered, heaved miserably, his vision, fuzzy and completely blurry as it was, trying to focus on anything that wasn't the intimidating expanse of the ocean.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Laughter, voices hit his ears, the sounds muffled like he was still underwater, but he didn't get to make sense of any of it, a hard, merciless shove sending him back into his silent torment without a chance of collecting himself.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His lungs burned, his mouth opening in a silent scream, yet all that escaped him was a sad, meaningless stream of bubbles and a few tears that instantly mixed with the salt of the ocean.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He wished it would just stop.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Chan was waiting at the top of the staircase, on a plateau that overlooked the ocean, a silhouette in the darkness that was nearly completely indistinguishable from his surroundings, but Jisung knew he was there.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was his favorite spot to think, to brood, to detach, and before things had gone to shit between them, before Jisung had <b>found out</b>, they had spent the occasional evening together up here, watching the stars and listening to the ocean's song in blissful silence.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It had been innocent, pure in a weird way, especially thinking back on all the times Jisung had caught the older looking at him fondly with a spark of admiration in his eyes, but right now, vacancy sat in Jisung's heart as he ascended the stairs, gaze fixed on Chan's still figure.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He liked to think he was angry at the older, yet apart from a growing sense of disappointment and hurt, as well as the ache in his limbs and the burns littering his body, there was nothing he felt for Chan. He was done. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Tired.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>On a good day, Jisung remembered skidding up the nearly hundred stairs with so much energy that he reached the top in under a minute, but today, his steps dragged like he was on the way to his own funeral, the walk having never felt as tedious as it did in this moment.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He didn't register right away when he was stood on the plateau, just a few meters away from Chan who was leaning against the rail, slouched over posture revealing his inner turmoil about calling Jisung here when he had cut off all contact with the younger previously.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Sung...''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The word was swept away by the wind that ruffled Jisung's hair, tugged at his clothes, pushed him to take a step towards the older, simply for the sake of their previous friendship.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung had no expectations.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was already disappointed, already hurting, already betrayed, so there was really nothing he could lose with this talk anymore.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As such, there was no reason to hold back on anything he wanted to throw at Chan.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Chan hyung.'' </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The first accusation already burned in his throat, vile and bitter, pressing to be heard, and Jisung was too disappointed to keep the words to himself. What was the point?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''You abandoned me.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Chan's breath hitched, vulnerability obvious in the way he spun around, facing Jisung in the darkness, a faceless shadow looking at another faceless shadow.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I <b>protected </b>you'', the older argued quietly, afraid to raise his voice any higher than a whisper in fear of shattering his imaginary dreamworld where he had painted himself as this selfless protector he really wasn't.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung was disappointed that he still didn't see. That he would never see.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''You didn't protect anyone.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He carded a careful hand through the charred strands, right where they had set his hair on fire, wincing at the pain as he touched the inflamed areas on his head.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He adjusted his hoodie, the loose fabric giving way to ugly burn marks right below his collarbone, round and stemming from the butt of a cigarette.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He held out his arm to the older, showing off bleeding scratches, purple bruises, speckles of blood drawn on his skin in all kinds of patterns.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Chan couldn't see any of it in the dark, but Jisung knew he didn't need to see to know the extent of the torment, having gone through the same experience, having cried the same tears, having swallowed the same sea water, having been shoved to the same ground, having felt the same kicks and punches on his body.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung was just a mirror of the older.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was disappointed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Jisung, I...''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Disappointed. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I never meant for it to turn out like this.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Silence stretched out between the two of them, neither of them able to see the other's expression, but Jisung heard the regret, the pain, the anguish, the guilt in Chan's voice, raw and unadulterated as it was. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And he didn't care. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Not anymore.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Turning around, he made a step towards the staircase, yet was held back when Chan grabbed his arm, his bruises protesting against the pressure.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The flaring, aching pain thumped beneath his skin, feeding into his bottomless disappointment, fueling it until it would become pure force.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Jisung, please listen to me.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was scared, desperate, his grasp on the younger tightening as if keeping him there would fix anything. Would fix them. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Why should I?'', Jisung heard his own voice echo in the space, apathetic, uninterested, even as their world crumbled around them, pieces of hope, of innocent affection splitting off, laying at their feet like the useless trash they were.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There was a heavy silence, a sharp exhale on Chan's part that weighed down Jisung's soul for a reason unknown to him, a revelation hanging in the air above him like the blade of a guillotine, crashing down on his neck with the next sentence that left the older's mouth.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Because I love you.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Even before the implications of what Chan had just said registered with him, Jisung's body reared up in revolt, in horror, wrenching itself out of the tight grip the older had on him in a feral need to <b>get away</b>.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Driven by a surge of frenzied, hysterical self-destruction, Jisung felt his body launch itself forward, towards the staircase, towards the inviting, all-encompassing darkness, hell-bent on escaping the situation Chan had just thrown him in.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Hell-bent on escaping his thoughts. His mind. His disappointment.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A frustrated, ferocious, hateful scream tore itself from his mouth, trying to drown out whatever else Chan had to say, whatever else could plunge him even deeper into the pit of sorrow the older had pushed him in. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was enough. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He couldn't see anything aside from the taunting black of a starless night, couldn't think of anything except the cursed three words playing in his mind on repeat and suddenly, he couldn't even feel the ground beneath him anymore, a dreadful sense of weightlessness, of falling, consuming him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Flailing like he was back underwater, his breath caught in his throat as he lost his balance, his own screaming echoing in his ears as a self-made cacophony of his suffering.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was out before he even reached the bottom of the staircase.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung's scream, guttural and powerless as it was, despairing epiphany mixed with agonizing recollection, reverberated in the space Wooyoung and Changbin were in, the former cringing in distaste, the latter smiling in fondness.</p>
<p>The clatter of coins against the checkered board had become irregular, disorganized, but Changbin's attention was drawn to a single coin that rested on its white side, motionless save for the weak vibrations that went through it, a last effort to keep going even if the black star's heart was suffocated by the painful truth it had just learned.</p>
<p>''Black star 1409...''</p>
<p>Fixing the coin with a demanding glare, Changbin slightly hesitated, waiting, waiting, waiting for the black star to give in.</p>
<p>He would. Everyone did.</p>
<p>''… almost doesn't react anymore. Critical soul state.''</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*sprays Changbin with water*</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. [Scene 7]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The legacy of "I swear I don't have an obsession with cages" continues...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>''Black star 0802...''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jeongin was barely able to catch himself, staggering out of the stagnated soul's range clumsily, his strained breathing drowning all other sounds in the room, even the pitiful gasps for mercy from the illusionary boy on the floor.</p>
<p>Blood pooled on the carpet from a wound he had sustained, the weapon still piercing through his body and sending shivers of cold dread down Jeongin's spine.</p>
<p>He was shaking in deeply-rooted terror, unable to avert his gaze from the boy, unable to concentrate on his task of taking on the stagnated soul, the crimson red liquid dripping, dripping, dripping so steadily.</p>
<p>His eye flame flickered, mirroring his hesitance, his <em>fear</em>, but despite the energy surging through his veins, he was unable to move, completely entranced.</p>
<p>''What's wrong, black star? Cat got your tongue?'', the stagnated soul taunted, laughing condescendingly and tossing something Jeongin's way, the haunting image of a dead, mutilated cat immediately ingraining itself into his memory.</p>
<p>Stomach slit open, its entrails were on full display, blood seeping into the carpet where it had been tossed, creating peculiar patterns.</p>
<p>
  <em>A signature.</em>
</p>
<p>He choked, heaved, struggling to keep himself together, his sword slipping from his grasp as he hugged himself tightly, intent on chasing the memories away that were emerging in his mind.</p>
<p>It was useless.</p>
<p>He remembered.</p>
<p>Jeongin screamed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 2209...''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Seungmin felt nauseous as the ship rocked violently once more, waves crashing against the wood in a never-ending fierce battle, water spraying up and raining on the crew as they steered right at a strange, unnatural rock formation.</p>
<p>A soft melody wafted through the air, beautiful as much as dangerous, drawing the sailors towards their certain demise, yet they were unrelenting in their efforts to reach the siren whose song they admired so deeply.</p>
<p>Seungmin's stomach churned, though he didn't interfere, having not yet determined who the stagnated soul on this ship was as he tightened his grip on his weapon, a shiny sharp axe.</p>
<p>''Well, what do you say? How many?'', the captain of the crew suddenly spoke up, sounding weirdly sober for assumedly being entranced by the siren's singing as he motioned for his men to get ready.</p>
<p>''Just one, captain, but it's a pretty one.''</p>
<p>A rather young boy smiled happily as he worked on loading the cannons and with growing, gnawing unease Seungmin realized that none of the men were under the siren's spell, instead actively planning to take it out.</p>
<p>The thought struck his heart painfully, cold sweat running down the side of his face and his body tensing, pushing him to <em>do </em>something, but it was already too late when a deafening sound penetrated the air, a cannonball soaring through the air and right at the rock formation.</p>
<p>And as the siren atop one of the rocks froze up, eyes wide and mouth open in shock as it realized what was about to happen, Seungmin screamed.</p>
<p>Because he remembered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 0808... Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 3012... Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 0205... Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 0610... Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 2601... Critical soul state.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin sighed dramatically as the clatter of more and more coins on the board came to a halt, black stars corrupting, degenerating, a truly magnificent experience that conjured the ghost of a smile on his face.</p>
<p>''Weak stars'', he scoffed half-heartedly, unconvincingly, if the look on Wooyoung's face was anything to go by, the boy not having spoken since Jisung had collapsed, clearly concerned for the black star's well-being.</p>
<p>It was quite amusing, though Changbin wasn't one to judge, harboring feelings for those pathetically fragile black stars too, even if those feelings came from a place of cruel delight and the pleasure of seeing the boys <em>break.</em></p>
<p>He never got tired of playing with black stars, keeping their hopes up, letting them wander off to discover the truth about themselves, only to completely squash their hearts with the heartbreaking reality of their pitiful lives afterwards, watching them try, <em>fail,</em> to cope with their former selves.</p>
<p>Was there any greater entertainment to be enjoyed in the Threshold?</p>
<p>Snickering to himself, he rose from his place in front of the checkered board, Wooyoung barely sparing him a glance as he strode down the seemingly endless black and white hallway that led him to the hall he had taken to depositing his pretty little playthings in.</p>
<p>Playthings that were too broken to serve their purpose, yet made for tasteful, lovely decorations for his own viewing pleasure.</p>
<p>Reaching his destination in no time, Changbin pushed the heavy, intricate mahogany door open, the vastness of his personal dollhouse stretching out in front of him as a round hall with dozens of tiny cells embedded into the wall, each one holding a crushed black star.</p>
<p>As everything in this world, the room was held in a simple black and white tiled pattern, the only specks of color coming from the black stars' various hair colors and the neat accessories that adorned them where they were kneeling in their personal prison.</p>
<p>It was a pleasant, amicable sight, especially as he approached the first cell on the right and set his sight on the boy behind the iron bars, an unconscious doll dressed up just the way Changbin liked it.</p>
<p>A metal collar encircled his neck, the chain that was attached to it and secured to a hook in the cell's ceiling making sure his head was kept up, his soft features, his pretty face, on full display.</p>
<p>The boy was still wearing his black star outfit, the sleeveless shirt with the tie Changbin had picked out for him, the only additions being the lace cuffs around his wrists and a cute black bow in his pink hair.</p>
<p>Jeongin truly looked ethereal like this.</p>
<p>Of all the newly acquired dolls Changbin held here, he was undoubtedly the prettiest one, and while he itched to reach out between the bars and caress the boy's face, an exhausted sigh had his gaze shifting to where Seungmin was contained in a similar fashion to Jeongin, unconscious with the collar as his only means of holding him somewhat upright.</p>
<p>It was rather pathetic how little it took to reduce black stars to nothing more than pliant, quiet toys.</p>
<p>Dolls without hearts were truly frail.</p>
<p>Though, as Changbin's eyes flickered over to the middle of the room, where the crown jewel of his possessions was placed on a pretentious throne, chains around his wrists and ankles keeping him in place, he thought to himself that dolls <em>with </em>hearts were probably even more brittle.</p>
<p>They were more fun to toy around with, showed more reactions, more emotions, more <em>desperation</em>, and as such, Minho liked them a lot better, able to harvest the maximum amount of agony and anguish.</p>
<p>This entire hall, this entire set-up was really just a tribute to the older, a lavish meal brought to him on a silver platter that he could feast on until he was satisfied, so Changbin should probably enjoy the sight while it lasted, take advantage of the fact that Minho was currently still caught up in another mission.</p>
<p>In a few long, purposeful strides, he was stood in front of the throne in the middle, nearly cooing at the sight of Jisung's unconscious, restrained form looking so tiny against the rich satin.</p>
<p>Knowing Minho held an affinity for anything pretty and fashionable, Changbin had taken the liberty of slipping a pair of lace gloves on Jisung, as well as fixed a flower hair clip with beads in his hair.</p>
<p>The look was completed with the various chains around his wrists and ankles, the chain attached to his metal collar simply laying on the tiled floor in front of Changbin's feet.</p>
<p>Picking it up, he gave the chain a harsh yank, observing the way Jisung's head was pulled forward, his body unable to follow, tied down too securely to allow for any movements.</p>
<p>Keeping the chain taut, he approached the boy, gaze fixed on the dying glow of the star under his left eye, a sign that he was falling into his own mind, into resignance, into corruption.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh, Minho would love this.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung was falling.</p>
<p>Falling endlessly. Falling. Meaninglessly.</p>
<p>Falling.</p>
<p>Uselessly.</p>
<p>Falling.</p>
<p>He couldn't see anything. There was nothing there anyway.</p>
<p>Nothing except his suffering memories, played in a loop in front of his inner eyes as a means of taunting him.</p>
<p>He could feel them consuming him, gnawing away at his body, his soul, while he was falling into an unknown darkness.</p>
<p>Pieces of himself, pieces of his body, dissolving into light, splintering off, disappearing in the hollow despair around him.</p>
<p>
  <em>Disappearing...</em>
</p>
<p>He couldn't get any of his limbs to move, falling, falling completely immobilized, completely helpless.</p>
<p>Falling. Disappearing.</p>
<p>It didn't even matter.</p>
<p>He was disappearing, slipping, empty recollections rushing past him, none of them holding even a glimmer of hope, of joy, of <em>life.</em></p>
<p>He had not a single pleasant memory left. There was nothing.</p>
<p>He had nothing.</p>
<p>
  <em>He was nothing.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Jisung!!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Falling.</p>
<p>Jisung was falling.</p>
<p>Yet still. There was a voice.</p>
<p>Right amidst the void surrounding him, beyond the chains binding him, there was a voice, nowhere and everywhere at once.</p>
<p>He couldn't move, couldn't determine the source of the voice, but he listened.</p>
<p>While he was falling, falling so rapidly, falling so slowly, he strained his ears to listen.</p>
<p>Grasping a last ray of light that peeked through the darkness, weak and fragile, but inducing a tickle on his skin, even as his body flaked off, disappeared into nothingness.</p>
<p>He had nothing.</p>
<p>He was nothing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''What do you mean, <em>you have nothing, you are nothing</em>?''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Falling.</p>
<p>Jisung was falling.</p>
<p>He was reaching for the sliver of light without being able to move, suffocating chains pressing down on his heart.</p>
<p>He couldn't breathe, submerged too deep into himself, too deep into his own nothingness.</p>
<p>He had nothing.</p>
<p>He was–</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''You have <em>plenty</em>, Jisung!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Falling.</p>
<p>Jisung was falling.</p>
<p>He had nothing...</p>
<p>Did... Did he...?</p>
<p>He had... He had...</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your pity.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Chan hyung, I will remember you.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He didn't fully know himself why he let the sentence slip, yet Chan seemed to be perfectly aware, a mocking smile playing on his lips as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''What, are you feeling sorry for me?'', he scoffed, though it was all in good spirit judging from the fresh stream of tears rolling down his cheek and the way his smile grew a little weaker. ''Just shut up, okay?''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your kindness.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I'm saving him.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The roughness of his own voice surprised him, raw emotion tangible in the way it shook slightly, triggering a sudden headache that made him squeeze his eyes shut for a second, Felix's ragged breaths beneath him doing nothing except make him even more nauseous.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your sadness.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Jeongin...''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was weeping, breaking down, blubbering for someone he had never known in life, had only caught a glimpse of in death, yet it didn't even matter, neverending sobs and whimpers spilling from his lips at the prospect of subjecting anyone to what he was going through right now.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your anger.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''This Jeongin boy... Is he up for grabs?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No amount of pinching or hissed reprimand for him not to take the bait could have stopped him from roaring up and lunging for Dino, the fury possessing him coming straight from the deepest corners of hell, brutal and murderous, enough to ignite his eye flame.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your melancholy.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung stopped walking once he deemed himself close enough, merely a few steps between him and the boy as he lowered himself to the ground, overtaken by a desire to keep listening to the fascinating song, to indulge in the boy's presence, to let himself fall into a dream of sweet tunes and clear voices.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your jealousy.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Jisung sputtered at the ridiculous scene, cheeks heating up and a suspicious twinge making itself known in his chest, but Minho ignored him fully, cupping Hyunjin's cheeks as he deepened the kiss, his eyes slipping shut to savor every last bit of the other male's taste.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your determination.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I want to be myself again.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Your lost smile.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>As he watched her eat with a fond smile, something around her neck suddenly caught his attention, a golden collar with a tag hanging off it sparkling in the artificial light of the shop, bearing initials that he couldn't recognize.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''All this belongs to you.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''To... me..?''</p>
<p>Jisung was falling and yet, something about the voice grounded him into the present.</p>
<p>He was no longer dissolving, no longer disappearing, every word seeping into his heart as a spark of light, of hope, that he held onto with as much strength as he could muster.</p>
<p>He couldn't let it escape his grasp.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Call for me and I will fight together with you. Because you are my...''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung opened his eyes the slightest bit, the all-encompassing emptiness of the void a lot less overwhelming with the ray of light that hit his body.</p>
<p>A familiar feeling surging through him, power simmering right beneath his skin, he felt the heavy weight lift from his chest, his chains creaking and rattling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Partner!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Light flooded the void all at once, the brightness blinding Jisung, forcing him to shut his eyes again, but he didn't miss the unmistakable sound of metal bursting, his body prickling in relief as his chains fell off.</p>
<p>He was no longer falling, more like floating in his mind, and as a substantial sense of satisfaction, of strength, of <em>being</em>, settled into him, he opened his mouth, his voice carrying the single name he called out into every last corner of himself.</p>
<p>''Yoongi!''</p>
<p>There was a brief flash around him, a moment where he felt like he was falling further, but then Yoongi's arms were suddenly around him, preventing him from slipping further, catching him so elegantly that Jisung couldn't help himself laughing.</p>
<p>It was probably the first genuine, the first joyful laugh he had produced in the Threshold, and the sensation tickled in his entire body, a fuzzy, warm feeling of comfort, care enveloping him like a blanket.</p>
<p>The smile that lingered afterwards was refreshing, addicting even, possibly the most exhilarating thing to grace him in this world, though it faded when Yoongi hesitantly tapped his shoulder, the worry Jisung could make out in his eyes as he turned around gripping his heart.</p>
<p>''I think you should face yourself'', the older disclosed delicately, and after a brief second of collecting himself, Jisung closed his eyes, willing the last memory of himself into existence.</p>
<p>Even though he knew what to expect, it still stung when he dared to peek into the expanse of his mind and the scene conjured up for him, the sight of a hospital room making his breath hitch.</p>
<p>A pale, fragile figure was wrapped up in bandages, lying motionless in the bed with a variety of machines attached to their body, keeping them alive even if they were already way beyond repair.</p>
<p>Next to the bed, a boy sat hunched over on a chair, silent tears hitting the floor in a steady pattern and mournful sobs disrupting the artificial quietness, an outlet for emotions bottled up far too long.</p>
<p>Chan.</p>
<p>Jisung took a step forwards, vulnerability and hesitance radiating off him as he approached the bed, Yoongi's gentle hand on his back encouraging him to look at the person under the white sheets.</p>
<p>Himself.</p>
<p>His heart thumped like it wanted to escape his body, plodding rapidly, desperately against his rib cage, and he drew a shaky breath to steady himself, Chan's sobs doing nothing to keep him composed.</p>
<p>
  <em>''Jisung... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I really... I shouldn't have done that... God, I'm such an asshole... I'm so fucking stupid, so fucking selfish...''</em>
</p>
<p>The mindless ramble faded into the background as Jisung sat down at the edge of the bed, reaching out to take a cold, lifeless hand in his own with as much tenderness as he could.</p>
<p>His benevolent gaze wandered over the boy's chestnut brown hair, his scratched up face and the bandages soaked with his blood, trying to hold together broken bones and internal wounds, the boy's chest barely rising anymore.</p>
<p>This was him.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry.''</p>
<p>He carded his other hand through the brown locks, tearing up at the lack of a reaction, at the realization of just how short his life had been, lined with so many regrets and bad decisions that they had followed him even after death.</p>
<p>He felt sorry for himself for not making some nice memories while he had the chance.</p>
<p>He felt sorry for having been such a passive participant in his own life, things having taken their cruel course because he had never spoken up when he should have, never fought back when it had mattered and never put in more effort to help Chan get rid of his demons.</p>
<p>Jisung truly, sincerely felt sorry for leaving Chan the way he had, sudden and without a single explanation just because of an impulsive decision his frantic mind had made.</p>
<p>He wondered how things would have turned out if he hadn't died.</p>
<p>He wondered where this boy with the chestnut hair would have ended up.</p>
<p>Would he have sorted his feelings out with Chan? Would he have finally spoken up for himself? Would he have been happy with the path he had chosen? Would he have spent every day smiling, thanking the world for giving him a chance to improve himself?</p>
<p>Jisung would never know.</p>
<p>And still...</p>
<p>He moved his hand to the boy's cheek, squishy and puffy like a squirrel, a sad smile on his lips as he leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead in a gesture of affection, of gratitude, of coming to terms with himself.</p>
<p>It was okay. He was okay.</p>
<p>''Thank you, Jisung'', he spoke softly into the boy's ear, unsure what he was thanking himself for in the first place, but feeling a heavy weight disappear off his chest anyway, leaving room for a pleasant tingle of tranquility. ''It's all good now. Rest in peace.''</p>
<p>When he pulled back, he could almost swear he saw a peaceful smile on the boy's lips, a few tears escaping his closed eyes, and the faintest squeeze of his hand, a reassurance that he had been heard and understood.</p>
<p>He dissolved into light, an illusion returning to the realm of illusions, and Jisung tried to follow the speckles of light with his eyes, but lost track almost right away, the light dispersing in the space like a swarm of fireflies.</p>
<p>Merely a single spark wafted over to Chan's crying form as if spending comfort, solace, and Jisung found himself stepping towards where the older was, crouching down and pulling Chan into a hug.</p>
<p>And even if he was simply an illusion, an apparition incapable of having a physical presence, the sobs died in his throat nonetheless as he eased into the touch, needing the comfort in whatever way it would come.</p>
<p>''I hope you can rest too, Chan hyung'', he whispered, a wish spoken like a secret shared only between them before the older too dissolved, something like fulfillment passing through Jisung's body.</p>
<p>He was okay.</p>
<p>He was–...</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Black star 1409 is stable.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When Changbin pushed the mahogany door open a second time, having needed to tend to some minor issues concerning a few partners, Jisung was awake.</p>
<p>The boy sat on the throne, wrists and ankles still secured as tightly as ever, rendered useless to move, but he was conscious, a surprisingly calm, determined gaze meeting Changbin's own in an unspoken challenge.</p>
<p>His sapphire blue eyes sparkled with fresh hope, new strength, drawn from within himself, and the older clicked his tongue in annoyance, displeased with the unforeseen development.</p>
<p>''How lame.''</p>
<p>Under normal circumstances, black stars turned into stagnated souls when the terror, the weight of their past lives came to haunt them, when they fell into their own minds and were taken prisoner by their lingering doubts.</p>
<p>There was never a spike in Changbin's statistics, never a reason to believe a black star would stray from the single path of demise they were set to wander and recover from the trauma of their conscious life.</p>
<p>So why...?</p>
<p>''Why aren't you breaking like the other black stars?''</p>
<p>Changbin's voice was neutral, if not the slightest hint annoyed, but Jisung could see the dissatisfaction, the underlying anger clear as day in his golden eyes, and it had him straining against his chains, raw power pulsing through his veins, eager to take shape.</p>
<p>Reveling in the feeling that made the hairs on his arms stand up, he let his eyes wander over the cells, pity spiking upon taking in the figures behind the metal bars, each one trapped by their mind and dressed up like a doll, an object.</p>
<p>Another experiment to add to a cruel collection of misery.</p>
<p>He hoped they would hear him, wherever their consciousness might be right now.</p>
<p>''Sadness, regret, grief or pain don't matter to me anymore. I am...''</p>
<p>He paused, turning back to Changbin with a defiant spark in his eyes, his eye flame flaring up with the next word he delivered in powerful certainty.</p>
<p>''Okay.''</p>
<p>Even if he was still securely chained to the pretentious throne with little to no leverage, he felt positively in control for the first time, his resolve catching Changbin off guard, the boy's expression wavering, faltering, like he was unsure what to do next.</p>
<p>Jisung didn't leave him any time to think about his options, channelling the raw force beneath his skin, focusing on bringing it to the surface in a flash of determination and pure desire.</p>
<p>The chains holding him burst into pieces, fell away from him like the ones in his mind had done, and in a simple, graceful movement, he rose from the throne, extending his hand towards the ceiling.</p>
<p>
  <em>''Call for me and I will fight together with you.''</em>
</p>
<p>A sweet whisper of reassurance, Jisung closed his eyes, putting all of his energy, his resolve, his hope into the scream that left his mouth, wishing for it to be heard beyond the reaches of the Threshold if it had to.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''YOONGI!!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a flash behind his eyelids, the likes of which was almost palpable as electricity in the air, as the surge of goosebumps that washed over him, as the rush of wind on his freezing skin.</p>
<p>Despite the situation, he felt his face break into a relieved, content smile, his cry for his partner answered with the sudden weight that settled into his hand, the comforting metal of his sword sending a buzz of joy through his body.</p>
<p>Closing his hand around the handle, he brought the weapon down, the sharp, shiny tip pointing right at Changbin and his expression hardening as he raised his head proudly, ignoring the demeaning collar around his neck.</p>
<p>''I want to <em>live</em>!'', he declared, a sentence, a sentiment, so out of place in this world that the older scoffed, incensed at the ridiculousness, yet showing no sign of hostility, of wanting to fight.</p>
<p>He simply stood there, weaponless, waiting, yet before Jisung could even begin to wonder what he was trying to do, the heavy mahogany door was suddenly pushed open once more.</p>
<p>The hauntingly familiar clinking of metal against the tiled floor announced Minho's presence before Jisung could even see him and his heart twisted painfully in his chest, equal parts bitter disappointment and subdued hope that the older would turn around and finally be <em>reasonable</em>, understand that what he was doing was in vain.</p>
<p>He hoped to see remorse in those emerald depths for the things he had done, pity for the souls that could never truly rest, melancholy like back at the beach.</p>
<p>Even just a slight hesitance would have been able to set Jisung's mind at ease, to convince himself that Minho couldn't be <em>all </em>heartless and destructive, but there was nothing of that sort in the boy's gaze, just a sick sense of amusement, gratefulness coming from the wrong place, satisfaction about cruel deeds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung was disappointed.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To the very corners of his being he wanted to believe in the desire to change that had to be present somewhere inside of Minho, the epiphany of purity he had not yet reached, but as of right now, all Jisung saw in the older was a boy feasting on the pain of others.</p>
<p>''Wow Changbin'', Minho praised as he stepped into the hall, instantly taking note of the many cells, his eyes lighting up like he was a kid on Christmas. ''You really prepared a feast for me.''</p>
<p>His gaze wandered over each of the souls, intrigued, anticipating, his beloved scythe making a screeching sound as the blade dragged over the tiles.</p>
<p>The sound set Jisung's teeth on edge, his hands growing weirdly clammy, but he didn't move from his position as Minho's eyes came to rest on him in a content matter that only served to rile him up.</p>
<p>''I'll have the tastiest bite first, if you don't mind.''</p>
<p>Changbin merely made a dismissive gesture before a sadistic smile stretched on his face, haunting and unpleasant in a situation such as this where Jisung was blatantly outnumbered.</p>
<p>''Feel free'', Changbin commented, though didn't turn back to look at the older, still locked in a staredown with Jisung, a glaring provocation, a shameless challenge in his eyes.</p>
<p>He <em>wanted </em>Jisung to jump into action against Minho, had probably already calculated the likelihood of his failure, and even though the younger didn't like playing into the guy's hands, all composition he might have harbored was lost when Minho set his sight on a cell somewhere behind him and licked his lips.</p>
<p>Jisung's body launched into action in a mix of repulsing rage and a deep-set urge to protect, the metal of his sword meeting Minho's scythe in a frustrated assault of raw force.</p>
<p>The older wasn't taken aback by the attack, neither did he seem particularly bothered as their weapons once again rested against each other, the push on both sides equally strong, hence keeping them completely still.</p>
<p>Jisung gritted his teeth, yet refrained from moving, eyes fixed on Minho's in a futile attempt to make out some sort of humanity, an emotion he could latch onto, an emotion he could <em>sympathize </em>with.</p>
<p>Minho couldn't be all bad. Nobody was all bad.</p>
<p>The thought ran rampant in his mind, a fire feeding into his eye flame, and he could swear he saw a flicker of curiosity, of vulnerability in the endless expanses of green, a ray of light in the darkness that was extinguished with the next statement that left Changbin's mouth.</p>
<p>''The power you've been wishing for is right in front of you. Take it.''</p>
<p>It was a surge of determination that rolled over Minho like a landslide, taking with it the feeble sense of hesitance and replacing it with a ferocious, destructive hope that nearly swept Jisung off his feet as the older's eye flame ignited as well.</p>
<p>He had no idea what Changbin's words meant, couldn't pinpoint what this <em>power </em>might be as Minho suddenly withdrew his scythe, a need for destruction taking over him and causing him to swing the dangerous weapon into Jisung's direction.</p>
<p>He was barely able to duck out of the way, the blade swishing over his head harmlessly, yet at the same time threatening, impending, unstoppable, the realization that Minho wasn't above harming him like a slap to the face even if he knew they weren't exactly friends.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They weren't exactly <em>anything </em>if he was honest with himself.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They bore no resemblance to each other, couldn't agree on each other's feelings, were simply placed on the selfish battlefield to fight for the things they believed in, however different they might be.</p>
<p>Fighting was the only variable shared between them, and so fight they did, in an attempt to understand.</p>
<p>Tightening his grip on his sword, Jisung was the one who dashed forwards this time, diminishing the distance between them, the range in which Minho could actually do damage with his scythe, as he purposefully brought their weapons together with a force that caused sparks to erupt from the metal.</p>
<p>Pushing closer, right into the older's reach, Jisung harshly jerked his knee up into Minho's stomach, flinching when the guy hissed in pain and nearly doubled over, his eyes clouding over for a brief second.</p>
<p>It was almost enough for Jisung's guilt to spike, yet he was glad he didn't allow for it to take over when Minho swiftly, gracefully twisted his scythe with vigor, thrusting the dull end right into his chest.</p>
<p>The air was knocked out of him as he was shoved away, stumbling, faltering, his feet finding no real purchase on the tiled ground.</p>
<p>At the edge of his vision, he was vaguely able to make out Changbin's impassive figure, the older unwilling to engage in their battle, to disrupt the ritualistic form of communication all black stars used, but Jisung was barely able to focus on him for long when Minho hissed again, an angry cat trying to catch a mouse.</p>
<p>''Give me your soul'', he demanded, a need feral as much as desperate taking on shape in his emerald eyes, a growl bordering on inhumane ripping from his throat. ''I <em>need</em> it.''</p>
<p>Wanting to throw a snarky, cocky reply at him, the younger took a defiant step forwards, only to find that his words betrayed him, lost on his tongue with the forcefully controlled exhale that wafted through the hall, exhausted and weak.</p>
<p>Minho's mind swayed, much like everything did in the Threshold, and despite himself, Jisung felt pity well up in his chest, delicately moving his sword down, the metal meeting checkered marble with a twing.</p>
<p>He didn't want to fight.</p>
<p>He didn't need to fight to understand.</p>
<p>''Why?'', he asked, his question remaining unchanged as he caught the flash of vulnerable sincerity in Minho's eyes, the way his grip on his scythe faltered, the melancholy from back at the beach resurfacing.</p>
<p>It was a raw feeling, pulsing, buzzing in the air between them like electricity, yet transcending the realm of comprehension at the same time, an unreachable mystery even for the older himself.</p>
<p>Still, Jisung asked.</p>
<p>''Why do you eat souls?''</p>
<p>With the unpredictable spectrum of Minho's wavering mindset, he almost expected the guy to swing his scythe at him in terrified fury, in confused sorrow, in bitter malice, yet to his surprise, Minho hung his head, a humorless chuckle escaping him as he carded a hand through his dark hair.</p>
<p>''Do you think souls are just trash?''</p>
<p>Jisung's chest constricted painfully at the question, an awful mix of hurt and revulsion striking him at the accusation that he was just as heartless and selfish as someone like Dino.</p>
<p>He'd always carried out his duty as black star to defeat stagnated souls, but he had never looked down on the tortured individuals that were kept in this realm by the injustice they had experienced in life.</p>
<p>And really, how <em>could</em> he even look down on them when he was the same, nothing more than a burdened spirit hunting down other burdened spirits?</p>
<p>None of the souls he defeated were trash.</p>
<p>He wouldn't allow anyone to think otherwise.</p>
<p>Wanting to defend his view, he opened his mouth to protest, but Minho merely held up a hand as a means to silence him, looking up to let his unseeing, absent gaze wander over the cells in front of him.</p>
<p>''This is the Threshold, a world between heaven and hell. It's a place to make your every wish come true if you cling onto it desperately enough.''</p>
<p>His voice was strangely husky, rough around the edges, but at the same time full of unfounded fondness, the likes of which Jisung had never heard from him before, and it unsettled him, even more so when Minho suddenly pointed at somewhere behind him.</p>
<p>Whipping around, he was faced with the cell Jeongin was kept in, the shiver that went over him one of disgust and rage he was barely able to will down, especially with the knowledge that Changbin was still in the room with them, watching the exchange with mild interest.</p>
<p>Later. Jisung would deal with him later.</p>
<p>For now though, he turned back to Minho, an unspoken request for him to continue in his eyes even if the older wasn't looking at him, fixated on Jeongin's unconscious form as he spoke.</p>
<p>''The wish to kill your victims again and again.''</p>
<p>He moved his arm ever so slightly, pointing at the next cell, and Jisung didn't even have to turn around to know who was behind the bars, another pang in his heart supplying the answer.</p>
<p>''The wish to sing.''</p>
<p>There was a foreign shakiness to his words, a fleeting glance in the younger's direction before he cradled his hand to his chest, the truth of whom he was referring to blurring at the prospect of multiple souls residing within him.</p>
<p>''The wish to love and be loved.''</p>
<p>Maybe he meant Hyunjin. Maybe Felix. Chan.</p>
<p>Himself.</p>
<p>There was no way to be sure and no room to ask, to ponder the meaning of his statement, Minho brushing over it as nonchalantly as could be, his eyes flaring up with new energy, vigor, determination.</p>
<p>''Strong emotions are the soul's driving force, a might enabling you to shape this world how you see fit. Your emotions are strong, Jisung, and mine are as well.''</p>
<p>For the first time since having met the other male, Jisung wondered what kind of emotional baggage had brought Minho into the Threshold in the first place, what he must have experienced in life for him to become so bitter, so driven by this idea of collecting as much power as possible.</p>
<p>What kind of wish did he harbor deep within himself to make him this desperate to reach his goal?</p>
<p>Jisung's throat felt strangely dry as he attempted to speak up, to offer some distorted, clumsy sense of solace that wouldn't help anyone, but the fact that he tried to say <em>something </em>was enough for Minho's expression to soften ever so slightly.</p>
<p>It was nothing more than a thankful spark in the depths of his emerald eyes and a slight tilt of his head, gratitude shared without words, yet perfectly understandable before the older dropped his scythe and approached him, the lack of any malicious intent calming Jisung's nerves.</p>
<p>They didn't have to fight.</p>
<p>''You know, Jisung'', Minho softly whispered as soon as the younger was in ear shot, purposefully keeping his voice low and smooth, yet so incredibly pained that Jisung could concentrate on little else except the apparent torment weighing on Minho's mind. ''Back when I was alive I was happy.''</p>
<p>It was more than Jisung could say of himself, but the recollection of his life wasn't painful anymore, actually conjuring the ghost of a smile on his face as he continued to listen, to watch.</p>
<p>He was glad Minho had lived a nice life.</p>
<p>At the same time...</p>
<p>''Then how come you are here?'', he heard himself asking, the question clearly striking something inside the older, for he flinched and averted his gaze, a wave of sorrow crashing over him with such a devastation that it almost swept him off his feet.</p>
<p>It was a sensitive, painful subject, like it always was with matters that concerned death, so Jisung wasn't too surprised when Minho stayed silent, instead choosing to cross the distance between them with a few quick steps.</p>
<p>The younger wasn't sure what he was trying to do, though refrained from backing away, for one not feeling threatened by Minho's presence and being way too proud to give him any sort of victory, even as he got dangerously close up in Jisung's personal space.</p>
<p>Those intense, unreadable eyes were right in front of him, speaking millions in regards to Jisung's question, yet none of the words seemed to make it to the younger's brain, and his cluelessness must have shown on his face because Minho's face broke into a weirdly fond smile, his hands coming up to gently cup Jisung's cheeks.</p>
<p>He felt like he should have expected it since the recent encounter with Hyunjin was still so fresh on his mind, but the feeling of Minho leaning forward was something like lightning striking, his hot breath on the younger's lips the only warning he got before the distance between them was fully diminished.</p>
<p>The kiss was instantly overwhelming, poised with sadness and despair at the end of a hopeful future, and Jisung instinctively stilled as pictures, memories filled his mind, none of which belonged to him, yet all of which attempted to make him understand the extent of Minho's life.</p>
<p>It was like a film rushing past him, impersonal, yet at the same time <em>too </em>personal, the glance given to him through the kiss being of the most vulnerable of times.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Minho's death.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The general store close to Minho's apartment was always empty this early in the morning, the streets of Seoul deserted, the world still held in the hazy grip of dawn.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Nothing was open yet, save for a select few stores, but having always been an early riser, a morning bird looking to get everything done as quickly as possible, Minho was out of the house with the first rays of sunlight every day to do the daily shopping trip.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Technically, his partner could help him out every now and then with the groceries, but his resolve to get the younger out of bed always faded rather swiftly when he saw the male cuddle into his pillows, a content smile on his face as he mumbled incoherent nonsense.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The sight was far too endearing for Minho to dare disturb him, so in the end he always ended up ruffling the guy's red hair in loving fashion and placing a sweet kiss on his cheek, subjecting himself to the duty of morning shopping.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was hardly an issue for him anyway, not when he got to experience the refreshing wind on his skin or the chirping of the birds above him, and definitely not whenever he walked past the pet store and saw Soonie looking at him through the window.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Among all the cats displayed in the shop, she had caught his eyes right from the get go, his need to buy her only more apparent when she pressed against his hand in satisfied fashion whenever he petted her, and after a talk with his partner who was over the moon with the adorable kitten as well, they had chosen to adopt her.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Jaeyun had kindly walked them through all the necessary paperwork, had arranged a home visit, as well as an appointment with a vet, all of which had taken two or three days more than expected, but Minho couldn't really complain, happy to be able to take the kitty home with him today.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He only had to bring the groceries home, wake up the boy still napping contently in their shared bed and return to the store to collect Soonie.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A pretty straight forward plan that put him in an exceptionally good mood as he placed his items into his bag one by one after the cashier had finished ringing them up.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was halfway out of the store when his phone suddenly announced an incoming call, the obnoxious ringtone his partner had set for himself penetrating the tranquility of this morning, yet bringing about another onslaught of joy nonetheless.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Hey biscuit'', Minho immediately teased upon picking up, knowing the other hated the cringy nickname and wanting to rile him up a little. ''You finally up?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There was a groan from the other end that didn't sound nearly as tired as he would have expected, followed by a rustle of paper and the snip of scissors that had him perking up in interest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh? What was this? </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Not only was his partner up already, but he was also busily preparing something?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''What are you up to?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The suspicious noises in the background stopped immediately, the boy seemingly moving somewhere else, not wanting to spoil the surprise.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Nothing, nothing. Don't worry about it, Min hyung. I'm <b>totally </b>not preparing something for when you come home.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Minho chuckled, adjusting the bags of groceries in his hands while musing about what was so special about today's date for the younger to go out of his way to surprise him like this. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Well, it was hardly a surprise, but the thought counted.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''What's the occasion, handsome? Our anniversary was last month and my birthday isn't for another three weeks, so to what do I owe this honor?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The boy halted, then let out an insulted huff, Minho's mind already conjuring up images of his partner crossing his arms in exasperation.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I don't need an excuse to make you happy, do I?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Although spoken with a slight whine and a defiant tone of voice, the sentiment warmed Minho's heart to no end, a smile appearing on his face as he fully stepped out of the store, the crossing in front of him deserted, with not a single car in sight.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The pedestrian light showed red.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Minho knew better than to cross the street at a red light, of course he did, but his euphoria was high from talking to his partner, his excitement to get home as soon as possible completely taking over him, eradicating any logical thought about waiting for a minute or two longer until the light switched to green.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It seemed like wasting time he very well had, yet didn't want to give up on, so without worry or fear, he stepped on the street, looking right and left before hurrying to get to the other side.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The street wasn't terribly wide, but Minho was too fast, not to mention he still held his bags of groceries and his phone in his hand, and all it took was a measly grate to make him stumble, a surprised cry escaping him as he collided with the hard street.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His groceries spilled all over the ground, his phone skidded out of reach, and no matter how hurriedly he attempted to get to his feet again, he would have never been fast enough to avoid his fate.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He would have never been fast enough to avoid the truck that swerved around the corner at full speed, trying to make it before the traffic lights switched to red.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The driver heard Minho's scream a little too late.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The memory broke off as Minho pulled back from the kiss, leaving Jisung gasping for air like a fish out of water, devastated at the reality of what he had just experienced, his heart racing in fear that wasn't his own and his thoughts swirling with despair.</p>
<p>He wanted to say something once again, but he wasn't sure if Minho would be interested in hearing what he had to offer, a steadying breath, a heavy sigh leaving him as he closed his eyes, the recollection obviously affecting him as well.</p>
<p>''I had no time to prepare for my death'', he admitted, his hands still resting on Jisung's cheeks, clammy fingers digging into his flushed skin. ''I had no time to say goodbye.''</p>
<p>He paused to let another wave of agony pass over him, the faintest trace of tears appearing in his eyes, visible even with his eye flame.</p>
<p>''Changbin was the one to offer me a way to fulfill my wish, by devouring strong emotions, strong souls.''</p>
<p>Jisung didn't even need to glance at Changbin to know that the male was grinning, the puzzle pieces falling into place in his mind as he gaped at Minho.</p>
<p>''So your wish is'', he started, unsure, hesitant even if it was all too obvious. ''Your wish is to... to...''</p>
<p>''Exactly'', Minho confirmed, eyes filled with his desire and his eye flame flickering wildly, uncontrollably.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''My wish is to return to life.''</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. [Scene 8]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I swear I'm done for the night. Rest of the chapters when I wake up.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>It was an exceptionally miserable day.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rain poured from the bleak sky relentlessly, the very heavens themselves mourning the tragic death of a boy so young, ripped out of life without any sort of warning, any sort of care given to the people left behind in disarray.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Everyone always said scars healed over time, yet the boy still felt as vulnerable as he did the fateful day he had experienced the death of his love, the piercing ache in his heart only growing stronger with every day he had to drag himself out of his cold bed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Life had lost its colors, its taste, its smell, every night spent asking the moon why things had to turn out like this, making a wish to any star that was willing to listen, hoping for his own life to end as abruptly as his partner's had.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sinking to his knees in front of the grave, the boy could feel the first tears welling up in his eyes, his gaze fixed on the framed picture he had placed there in an attempt to burn his lover's face into his mind, his features slipping from his consciousness more and more every day.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was already forgetting. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He didn't want to forget.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He grasped the headstone in desperation, his tortured wails the only sounds penetrating the stillness of the graveyard.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Caught in his own anguish, sorrow for the boy he had lost, he never noticed said boy standing behind him, a phantom unable to tread in the earthly realm as he enveloped his mourning lover in a back hug.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Please don't cry'', he begged, his words mere gusts of wind and his touch providing nothing more than a hint of skin-on-skin contact.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Won't you smile like always... biscuit?''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Return to life.</p>
<p>Jisung had anticipated a reply along those lines, had already braced himself for the likelihood of Minho seeking to rejoice his lover on earth, but nothing could have prepared him for the way his heart seemed to shatter in his chest, ripped into shreds by a force beyond his comprehension.</p>
<p>He didn't know why, but he felt upset, betrayed by what had just happened, an uncomfortable shiver crawling down his back and causing him to withdraw from Minho with a snarl, raising his sword to put some distance between them.</p>
<p>''Don't touch me!'', he hissed, more vigor than necessary behind his words, and Minho tilted his head slightly in understanding, moving backwards to pick up his scythe again, a silent declaration of war visible as his features hardened once more.</p>
<p>Swaying from determined to emotional and back to determined, it was clear that Minho had tried to give him a chance to resolve their argument without fighting, a chance for Jisung to surrender his soul willingly that he would never have accepted.</p>
<p>He wouldn't let himself get eaten.</p>
<p>Even thinking like this, he couldn't help his pity, his unwillingness to hurt Minho from taking over when the older jumped him, the blade of his sword merely blocking the assault in defense as he swiftly moved back, looking to avoid direct confrontation.</p>
<p>''You're sweet'', Minho hummed, genuinely seeming <em>sorry </em>for fighting Jisung, though he didn't make any indication of backing out, instead lifting his weapon for another attack. ''Are you pitying me?''</p>
<p>Jisung let out an unstable breath in reply, using the precious few seconds it took for the older to prepare himself to rapidly haul his sword upwards, the momentum of the movement knocking the scythe right out of Minho's hands.</p>
<p>It went flying all the way through the hall, clattering against the bars of a black star's cell before falling to the ground, Kihyun instantly changing back upon impact, struggling to collect himself.</p>
<p>Still standing with his arms raised, Minho blinked a few times in confusion at the loss of his weapon, and even if Jisung didn't want to hurt him, he at least had to render the older harmless to prevent him from doing any damage.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry'', he mumbled, offering a tiny smile to Minho before he drove his sword into the guy's stomach, the haunting memory of doing this exact same thing to Chan overwhelming him for a moment.</p>
<p>
  <em>I'm sorry, Chan.</em>
</p>
<p>Minho sputtered, face contorting into a grimace and hands shooting down to dislodge the weapon from his body, a streak of red spurting out of the wound, painting the checkered tiles in a morbid layer of blood.</p>
<p>It wasn't serious enough to make Jisung fear the older dissolving into light, especially because black stars could endure a lot more than a stagnated soul such as Chan, but he still felt horribly guilty at the sight of Minho pressing down on his stomach, looking like he wanted to fold in on himself.</p>
<p>From across the hall, Kihyun pushed himself to his feet, staggering over to his partner rather clumsily, dizzy from being swung around so much, yet able to shoot Jisung a glare full of loathing, the contempt that was thrown his way almost palpable.</p>
<p>It was justified, after all he <em>had </em>just injured Minho, but it was also a necessary evil if he wanted to protect himself.</p>
<p>''Sorry Minho'', he said again, catching glazed over green eyes full of desperation. ''I can't let you eat my soul. I want to live.''</p>
<p>
  <em>Live. </em>
</p>
<p>The word meant something vastly different for both of them, an existence on opposite ends of the spectrum that they sought after in their own way, yet it was clear that Minho ended up with the shorter end of the stick at the end of the day.</p>
<p>''Just give up.''</p>
<p>''Give up...?''</p>
<p>A humorless, bitter chuckle left the older, his heavy, ragged breathing cutting through the silence of the room as he removed his hands from the wound in his stomach, blindly grasping for Kihyun's arm and willing his partner back into weapon form, clearly no regard given to his diminishing stamina.</p>
<p>Minho was in no condition to push himself further, that much was apparent from the strained expression on his face and the blood dripping down onto the floor, sheer willpower keeping him on his feet.</p>
<p>''Quit joking!'', he rasped, hauling his scythe in Jisung's direction with inhuman ferocity, a strength drawn upon from both his eye flame and the longing locked away in his heart. ''Like I could ever give up!''</p>
<p>Once more, the blade swished past Jisung, the younger only able to evade actual harm by letting himself fall back even further, his back hitting the bars of one of the cells.</p>
<p>With no way to escape and no time to think, the next hit Minho delivered struck him right across the chest, searing pain ripping through his body as blood sprayed up, the instinct to fight back gripping him and bringing their weapons together in a deadly dance of metal.</p>
<p>''Just let yourself get defeated!!'', Minho demanded angrily, twisting his scythe once more to ram the stick into Jisung's stomach, the push against the bars knocking the air out of him and making him wheeze.</p>
<p>There was nowhere to go with Minho keeping him pinned like this, no way in which he could get the older to move without using brute strength, so Jisung gritted his teeth, bringing his sword down on Minho's shoulder with enough momentum to slice into the flesh.</p>
<p>The reaction was instantaneous, the older dropping his weapon to clutch his shoulder, stumbling back, hissing in barely repressed fury with his eyes clenched shut while waves of pain rolled over him.</p>
<p>He looked like a bloody mess, having completely overexerted himself by going after Jisung again in such a violent fashion, his reason replaced by pure instinct and bottomless fury.</p>
<p>Despite the agony in his chest, his own wound dripping crimson as well, Jisung carefully moved away from the cell, thinking their confrontation had finally drawn to a close as he noticed Changbin's furrowed brows, some sense of genuine <em>concern </em>visible on his features.</p>
<p>It was enough, he seemed to realize that even just from watching.</p>
<p>However, Minho didn't seem to know when to call it quits, a last effort made as he dashed towards Jisung without a weapon in hands, reaching out like he wanted to choke the younger to death, the glittering wetness in his eyes a testimony to the misery inside himself.</p>
<p>''Give me your power!! Give me your soul!!''</p>
<p>The desperate, useless wails spilling from his lips tugged at Jisung's heart strings, choked him up just the same, and he merely evaded the attack, unwilling to inflict more damage on an already losing man.</p>
<p>It was over.</p>
<p>Unable to catch himself in time, to regain his balance as his target moved aside, Minho hit the ground hard, shaking, heaving, the first tears escaping him as he tried to gather any strength that might be left somewhere inside of him.</p>
<p>''I want... I want–'', he choked, every single muscle on fire, yet still obeying him as he pushed himself up, sweat and blood alike painting his skin in a palette of his suffering. <em>''I want to return to life!!''</em></p>
<p>Jisung's heart was full of pity, of sorrow, of wishing for the older to stay down and accept his fate, the miserable sight of him wobbling on his feet, purely driven by his raging desire, breaking his heart.</p>
<p>He had to know that he lost, but he couldn't accept it, another attempt to jump Jisung falling short due to a lack of energy, his eye flame finally extinguishing as he crumbled to the floor.</p>
<p>''I want to return to life...!''</p>
<p>He couldn't possibly get up anymore, his movements reduced to random twitches, his body yearning to shut down, but his will remained unbroken, hollow despair, fragile hope, blooming in his heart.</p>
<p>''I want...''</p>
<p>''Minho'', Changbin suddenly spoke up, voice laced with as much pity as Jisung felt as he moved from his spot, abandoning the role of passive observer in favor of consoling the older. ''I can't stand watching this anymore. Please stop.''</p>
<p>Minho shook his head defiantly, desperately, though looked up at Changbin anyway as soon as the male's shadow cast over him, a glimmer of a hopeful spark in his eyes.</p>
<p>Kihyun had changed back by now, spread out on the ground in a thoroughly exhausted manner, and Jisung wondered whether Yoongi was this spent as well, but didn't dare to let him change back just yet.</p>
<p>It was highly unlikely for Minho to be able to pounce on him, but there was an uneasy feeling brewing in his stomach regardless as he watched Changbin crouch down in front of the guy, leaning in close to his ear as if he was about to tell him a secret.</p>
<p>Jisung stepped closer.</p>
<p>''You know Minho... The truth is...''</p>
<p>The pause was unsettling, a fragment of time in which everything had come to a screeching halt in order to listen to what Changbin had to say, the revelation what was to follow like the blade of a guillotine that hung ominously above them.</p>
<p>He didn't think he wanted to hear the truth, the clammy feeling of his weapon in his hands uncomfortable, a foreboding that was only accentuated by the inherently <em>evil </em>smile he caught dancing on Changbin's features.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I lied.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The silence that followed was deafening.</p>
<p>A void swallowing all sounds, Minho sat frozen, motionless on the floor, his mind running the sentence down time and time again, looking for another possible interpretation that wasn't there, but it was fruitless.</p>
<p>The content smirk on his lips, the condescending glimmer in Changbin's eyes, the nonchalant shrug he offered, they were enough to drive home to him that what had just been revealed really was <em>the truth.</em></p>
<p>Jisung could see raw emotions dancing in green eyes, the unsure tremble of the older's hands, the way his mouth fell open in shock, yet what absolutely broke his heart was the single tear slowly streaming down Minho's cheek.</p>
<p>''You... you lied...?''</p>
<p>His voice had never sounded this feeble, close to breaking just like he himself was, the very foundation, the very ground he had treaded on crumbling under him, leaving him flailing in an abyss of nothingness.</p>
<p>He didn't understand.</p>
<p>Changbin's hand came up to ruffle his hair in mock comfort, his smile etched into Minho's mind as a proof of his own naivety, his foolishness, a demon that would haunt him for the rest of his days.</p>
<p>
  <em>He didn't understand.</em>
</p>
<p>''The Threshold is a friendly world where dreams come true'', Changbin explained slowly, pronouncing every word clearly to really get through to him, to really get into his mind and mess him up, leave him as a broken piece of porcelain. ''But returning to life... That's too much to ask for.''</p>
<p>Minho couldn't breathe.</p>
<p>His throat was closing up from the harsh reality of what he had been told, the insatiable burning in his stomach, the need to devour even more souls fizzling out into a numbing, heavy remorse, shame washing over him and crushing his heart.</p>
<p>''Whether it's from a large cup or a small one, water that spills out can never be returned.''</p>
<p>It had all been for nothing.</p>
<p>The souls he had acquired, feasted on for the sake of fulfilling his wish, they were all lost forever because of his own selfish, meaningless endeavors.</p>
<p>The vision he had chased after, his beloved kneeling, mourning in front of his grave, faded from his reaches, torn away with such ferocity that it left him bleeding.</p>
<p>Below him, the ground seemed to open, revealing a gaping madness of black that his mind and body both tumbled into, unable to grasp at anything that might have kept him afloat.</p>
<p>There was nothing.</p>
<p>He no longer had any reason to go on, to remind himself of those fond memories he had made during his life, of the pleasant summer breeze on his skin, the smiling face of his biscuit so close to his, of Soonie's overjoyed purr whenever he brought her sardines...</p>
<p>What use was there in harboring these moments if he couldn't share them with the one he had promised his life to?</p>
<p>What use was there in harboring these moments if he was dead?</p>
<p>In death, he had nothing.</p>
<p>He was nothing.</p>
<p>He was–</p>
<p>Minho was–</p>
<p> </p>
<p>F a l l i n g.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung watched the pained, heartbroken expression on Minho's face smooth out into blankness, his eyes clouding over with an unseeing haze, the star below his left eye fading from his skin.</p>
<p>His entire body was raging, burning with hatred that fueled his eye flame as the black star he had grown to sympathize with stagnated into a shell of what he was supposed to be, his own mind turning against him and supplying the despair that was needed to completely crush him.</p>
<p>The aching of his wounds faded from his consciousness, his mind no longer able to give any regard to his own well-being, brimming with bewilderment and disgust from the treatment Minho – and all black stars for that matter – were given.</p>
<p>He couldn't believe Changbin was that sadistic, that cruel to toy with black stars like this, to lead them into the unforgiving anguish at the end of innocent hopes simply to sate his own twisted amusement.</p>
<p>This was as far as he would allow this madness to go.</p>
<p>He took a determined step forwards, torn between rousing Minho from the nightmare he was descending into or bashing Changbin's face in for playing them all, but he didn't get to do either as suddenly, a deep rumble went through the hall, earth-shattering thunder after a lightning strike.</p>
<p>Jisung halted, letting the rippling vibrations take hold of him, the sensation like an earthquake that seemed to grip the entire tower from within, an uproar caused by souls silenced so long.</p>
<p>He caught Changbin silently cursing, though didn't get to grasp the meaning of it, the unmistakable sound of an explosion from somewhere under him nearly causing him to topple over, the ground sagging like it was collapsing on itself.</p>
<p>A hole opened up in the middle of the room, swallowing the throne Jisung had been restrained to before, the thing making a hauntingly soundless descent, an indication that there might be a neverending void beneath the hall.</p>
<p>In a world like the Threshold, it wouldn't even surprise Jisung if there was.</p>
<p>The ground tilted as the hole ripped away at it from the middle, making Jisung scurry to the edge of the hall, pressing his back against the cells behind him in an attempt to get as much distance as possible between himself and what might very well be his doom.</p>
<p>From the corner of his eyes, he saw Changbin sprinting towards the mahogany door, the thought of following him to save his ass reigning strong in his mind for a single second before he caught sight of Minho's motionless body falling forward with the increasing tilt.</p>
<p>He skidded towards the hole in the middle, just like Kihyun who appeared to have fallen unconscious, and as panic rose in Jisung's chest, he felt the metal of his sword shift into warm skin, Yoongi lunging forward to save Kihyun.</p>
<p>''Go! Get Minho!'', his partner ordered, like that hadn't already been Jisung's first instinct, and he stumbled over the uneven floor clumsily, managing to grab Minho's hand before he could be pulled further towards the hole.</p>
<p>He nearly toppled over from the added weight as he dragged the older back, registering with relief that Yoongi had reached Kihyun, busy hoisting the male onto his back.</p>
<p>There was nowhere for them to go except out of the mahogany door, so Jisung crouched down to get Minho on his back as well, flinching as his hands came into contact with the disgustingly wet fabric of his shirt, the cut on his chest flaring up in reply.</p>
<p>He grimaced, yet chose to ignore the unpleasant sensation as he got the older on his back, the feat already being difficult enough as it was even without the floor giving way more and more.</p>
<p>It was a soundless destruction, a black hole sucking everything in its path in, and Jisung shivered as he maneuvered the two of them towards the heavy door, pushing against the wood with the expectation that it would open.</p>
<p>It didn't.</p>
<p>His anxiety instantly sky-rocketed as he pushed and pulled at the barrier, hoping for his mind to have pulled some kind of sick joke, yet the door didn't budge, their only exit blocked by a force that was probably Changbin's doing.</p>
<p>Frustrated, Jisung pounded against the wood, hard and harder, ferocious and desperate, hoping his shouts would reach someone.</p>
<p>''Changbin!! Stop this! Open the door!!''</p>
<p>Nothing happened. Of course.</p>
<p>He bit his lip, his mind racing, trying to figure out how they were going to get out of this, but with the ground giving out, their only option was–...</p>
<p>''Hyung!''</p>
<p>The unexpected sound of that voice so close to him startled Jisung and he let out a yelp, frantic blue eyes meeting a familiar set of pink ones in the cell on his left.</p>
<p>Jeongin.</p>
<p>Jisung barely had any time to wonder about the younger being awake, neither did he grasp the presence of the glowing star under his eye as the ground sagged a little more, the darkness of the hole nearly licking at his soles.</p>
<p>There was no time.</p>
<p>''Hyung'', Jeongin repeated urgently, tapping the bars of the cell. ''This thing is embedded into the wall, you can hold onto the bars.''</p>
<p>Oh God.</p>
<p>Jisung did <em>not </em>like that idea one bit, but with the lack of other options, as well as Yoongi already testing out the bars' resilience on the cell that held Seungmin, he was left with little option but to sigh deeply and nod, reaching through the space between the metal and crossing his arms before grasping the bars in his sweaty palms.</p>
<p>Since Minho was on his back and in danger of falling off, Jeongin grabbed the older's hands tightly, doing his best to shoot Jisung a reassuring smile that turned strained when the floor crumbled fully into the all-encompassing darkness and he had to actually hold Minho's weight.</p>
<p>Jisung's body harshly crashed into the wall as the ground gave out, a feeling of fearful weightlessness replaced by an abrupt strain on his arms that was instantly overwhelming, yet he simply focused on taking deep breaths in and out to distract himself.</p>
<p>Next to them, Yoongi and Kihyun seemed to be in a similar arrangement with Seungmin, though Yoongi did his best to support Kihyun as much as possible, recognizing that Seungmin couldn't possibly hold him alone.</p>
<p>The boy <em>could</em> technically activate his eye flame to turn the two weapons back into their weapon form, but he probably didn't have that kind of concentration right now, so they had to make due with their situation.</p>
<p>Jisung honestly didn't have a clue what would happen now.</p>
<p>Sure, they had somehow saved themselves from getting sucked into a hole, but now they were hanging on by a metaphorical thread, the possibility of their strength draining sooner or later a very real and impending one.</p>
<p>They were merely delaying their inevitable fall into the bottomless pit below and it was hard not to panic as he looked up to see Jeongin's concentrated, pained expression above him, the chain on the collar around his neck putting additional strain on him, forcing him to keep his head high.</p>
<p>''We are so screwed'', Jisung pressed out, the effort of speaking almost too much to bear. ''We're all gonna fucking die here!''</p>
<p>There was a strenuous chuckle from Jeongin, the ghost of a smile on his lips as he briefly glanced at Jisung.</p>
<p>''I think we're good on that front.''</p>
<p>It took an embarrassingly long moment for Jisung to understand the implication of that sentence, his face growing hot at the realization of what he had just said.</p>
<p>Well, it wasn't the first time for him to forget that he was already dead, nor would it be the last, knowing him.</p>
<p>''I know, I was just trying to be dramatic.''</p>
<p>His joke fell short of laughter, but he figured this was to be expected in a situation such as this one, especially since he didn't really feel like laughing himself.</p>
<p>His arms ached from holding his weight, sweat was starting to drip down his temple and his grip on the bars wasn't the strongest, the metal surface getting more and more slippery by the second.</p>
<p>The painful discomfort was only heightened by the feeling of blood dripping down his chest, as well as Minho bleeding into his back, and he sucked in a harsh breath, wishing to every deity in the heavens that he would be able to pull through as long as possible.</p>
<p>He didn't have the kind of stamina to endure prolonged periods of putting strain on his body, at least not anymore, and the oppressive silence only gave him more of an opportunity to focus on the way his muscles protested, so he decided to tune the pain out by just continuing to talk.</p>
<p>''Since we're already gathered here, does anyone have anything they want to share? You know, before we die?''</p>
<p>There was a collective groan from Yoongi, Seungmin and Jeongin, none of them seeming like they wanted to respond, too busy trying to make sure none of them fell, but just as Jisung was about to throw out something of his own, another rumble went through the tower.</p>
<p>Pieces of the ceiling crashed down and muffled screams erupted from somewhere within the tower, chaos and destruction slowly overtaking the order that had reigned here, though it was impossible to determine where the revolt had come from or even who was leading it.</p>
<p>Jisung just hoped it was a revolt against Changbin, the need to give the older a taste of his weapon surging strongly through his veins.</p>
<p>''What the hell is going on out there?'', Seungmin mumbled, mostly as a question to himself, but from the way Jeongin audibly cleared his throat, it was obvious that he knew at least <em>something </em>of what was transpiring right now.</p>
<p>How he had caught wind of it while being locked away, Jisung had no clue, but he leaned strongly towards the possibility of Jungkook having talked to him telepathically.</p>
<p>Which in turn meant–...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Innie!!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The wooden door slammed against the wall with such a fierceness that it made Jisung flinch, his grip on the bars loosening, nearly sending him tumbling into the unrelenting darkness below.</p>
<p>He heard Jeongin let out a relieved gasp at the prospect of rescue, but Jisung didn't possess the strength to look up at their saviors, feeling himself slip despite his unwavering resolve to hold on, his body no longer seeming to obey him.</p>
<p>He couldn't feel his arms anymore, only the burning of his muscles and the moistened metal beneath his fingertips, the rapid thumping of his pulse in his temples reducing all other noises to meaningless white noise.</p>
<p>He couldn't do this.</p>
<p>He couldn't hold himself any longer.</p>
<p>Heaving for air, his vision faded momentarily, exhaustion claiming the last parts of his strength, and before he knew it, he was falling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And then he wasn't.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Instead of plunging into an unknown, dark void, there was a hard surface stopping his fall, the unexpected impact sending a wave of shock, relief and pain through his body all at once.</p>
<p>His mind was reeling, unable to conclude if he had simply imagined the giant hole that had swept the floor away or if his saviors had magically conjured the floor out of thin air, but he figured he could question that later, for now focusing on safely getting Minho down, the older still unconscious and injured, seeming to get paler by the second.</p>
<p>A desire to help burned under Jisung's fingertips once more, the same raw feeling from when Felix had bled out in front of him, the image of the other boy looming like a shadow over him, but it didn't bring the same sense of helplessness, of misery with it.</p>
<p>Jisung was okay. He could deal with it.</p>
<p>Removing his cape from around his shoulders, he wasted no time to rip the item apart, one half to wind around Minho's shoulder and the other for his stomach to stop the bleeding.</p>
<p>He vaguely registered the clatter of metal and chains as their saviors worked on getting Jeongin and Seungmin out of their cages, but in that moment, it wasn't important, his attention solely on making sure Minho was okay.</p>
<p>He knew what it was like to be trapped in his own mind, his thoughts, his memories stacked against him, trying to suffocate him in self-doubt and hopelessness, in a wrong epiphany that he had nothing.</p>
<p>That he was nothing.</p>
<p>Like Yoongi had done for him, Jisung wanted to help prove Minho's own thoughts wrong, wanted to stop the spiraling into despair, the stagnating of his soul as long as he had the chance.</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath, he gently cupped the older's cheeks, almost cringing at the icyness of his skin and the dead, absent gaze that saw nothing except neverending despair.</p>
<p>''Minho...''</p>
<p>His voice was weirdly scratchy, rough with something that wasn't exclusively the aftermath of the fight, and he cleared his throat, feeling strangely vulnerable for some reason.</p>
<p>''I hope you can hear me.''</p>
<p>There was no reaction, but he hadn't expected one.</p>
<p>If it wasn't for the slight up and down of his chest, as well as the awareness of the realm they both treaded in, Jisung would have thought he was dead, a frozen statue devoid of any life in his eyes.</p>
<p>Sparkling emeralds dulled beyond recognition, he felt a heavy weight press on his chest, his hands starting to tremble where they rested on Minho's skin.</p>
<p>''I know I don't even know you.''</p>
<p>Well, that was a great start.</p>
<p>Leave it to Jisung to be too clumsy to talk seriously even in death.</p>
<p>''But I want you to know that I'm sorry.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I'm sorry, Chan. I'm sorry, Felix. I'm sorry, Hyunjin.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''You didn't deserve any of this.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>I'm sorry, Minho.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''You deserved a long, fulfilling life at the side of someone who made you happy, who <em>loved</em> you—'' A pang of bitter jealousy sparked in his heart. He ignored it. ''—and I'm sorry it was taken from you so prematurely. I believe you were... no, you <em>are </em>a good person.''</p>
<p>His voice caught in his throat as someone crouched down next to him, Yoongi's well-meaning, <em>proud</em> gaze roaming over him, his hands settling on Jisung's shoulders in a gesture of brotherly comfort.</p>
<p>Somewhere at the edge of his vision, Jeongin and Jungkook were hugging, exchanging silent promises and sobbing inaudibly, the action being enough to drive tears to Jisung's eyes as well, yet he refrained from wiping them away.</p>
<p>''Minho'', he said again, nearly choking on his next words and the sincerity behind them. ''You're always... cruel...''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I can't hear you!'', came Minho's gloating laugh, the older completely unfazed when the stagnated soul slashed at him, hitting the ground with vigor, yet missing by inches. ''Scream <b>louder</b>!!''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Selfish...''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Hyunjin's soul is mine'', he declared confidently, utmost certainty dripping from his voice, and Jisung opened his mouth to protest, the words never making it out when Minho suddenly leapt forward, lunging for him like a predator pouncing on its prey.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''And annoying.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Minho was so unpredictable, swaying in a way that resembled the Threshold while at the same time existing independent of its influence, its norms, and yet it still came as shock when the older suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between Hyunjin and him and connecting their lips.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung exhaled shakily, doing his best to meet Minho's blank gaze through his blurry vision while a sob bubbled its way up his throat.</p>
<p>''But still...''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I want... I want–'', he choked, every single muscle on fire, yet still obeying him as he pushed himself up, sweat and blood alike painting his skin in a palette of his suffering. ''I want to return to life!!''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I don't want you to disappear. I don't want you to suffer anymore.''</p>
<p>He closed his eyes, sobs beginning to rack his body and his hands slipping from the older's cheeks, falling uselessly to his side.</p>
<p>The miserable sound of his own bawling echoed in his ears, and while he felt he should be embarrassed about dissolving into tears in front of everyone, he couldn't care less about that in the moment.</p>
<p>It was a sad chuckle that brought his weeping to a stop, and as he furiously wiped at his eyes to clear his sight, he could make out Minho slowly sitting up across him, careful not to move his shoulder too much as to not trigger any unnecessary pain.</p>
<p>He was conscious, receptive, his eyes having gained back a little life, but Jisung didn't feel relieved as he noticed the familiar wetness of tears building inside of those green depths, his heart twisting painfully even with the older's shaky attempt at a smile.</p>
<p>''Which one of us is the selfish one?'', he asked with a voice so tiny, so fragile that it nearly drowned in the expanses of the room.</p>
<p>It sounded unlike him, a harsh realization of just how beaten down and defeated he truly was underneath the facade he had hauled up.</p>
<p>''Min—''</p>
<p>''I've done awful things'', Minho interrupted him, his smile growing a little weaker, turning into a forced grimace as the first tears slid down his cheeks. ''And I know there's no salvation for me at the end of this path...''</p>
<p>Every inch of Jisung ached to hold the older in his arms, to make an attempt to wipe his tears away and comfort him, but he knew this wasn't possible anymore.</p>
<p>Not for them.</p>
<p>''But I'm still gonna try and make this right.''</p>
<p>Minho's hand was suddenly on his shoulder, just like Yoongi's was, and with an onslaught of unadulterated fear and the sight of Minho's eye flame flaring up, he completely froze, his mind already understanding what was about to happen.</p>
<p>His muscles tensed as skin changed to metal, his trusty sword now in Minho's possession, and he mentally prepared himself for the imminent possibility of getting stabbed in the gut with his own weapon, yet for some reason, the agonizing pain never came.</p>
<p>Instead, Minho shot him a sorry smile that was full of regret about something that had never come to pass, his hands clutching the sword tightly and his breaths coming in short puffs before he... before he—</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before he drove the sword right into his own chest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Someone screamed, the sound drowned by the gargled cry of pain ripping from Minho's lips, followed by a nasty cough that caused blood to spill out of his mouth, a few trickles quickly turning into a stream of red.</p>
<p>Doubling over with a wail that was equal parts relief and agony, he pulled the weapon out of his chest, discarding it to the side and giving free reign to the blood to gush out of him, the checkered tiles tainted once more.</p>
<p>Jisung couldn't move, overtaken by the terror of watching Minho do that to himself, his entire body shaking and his heart hammering in his chest, panic flaring under his skin.</p>
<p>Why? Why would he–...?</p>
<p>''Finally'', the older rasped, immediately dissolving into more coughs at the strain of speaking, yet determined to keep going as a dopey smile appeared on his features. ''Finally we'll get to see each other again...''</p>
<p>His glassy eyes flitted over Jisung without recognition, his mind already somewhere else as he weakly brought his bloodied hands up to touch the younger's face, delicately, longingly to the point that it left a sour taste in Jisung's mouth.</p>
<p>Because it wasn't <em>him </em>that Minho saw right now.</p>
<p>He had no right to feel as hurt as he did, his heart had no reason to ache with heartbreak as much as it did, and still, the tears wouldn't stop coming, his insides twisting with fondness and jealous hatred at the admiration he could make out in Minho's gaze.</p>
<p>The older's touch on his skin, cold as it may be and smearing blood around his face, was like an angel's kiss, pure and purposeful even if it wasn't meant for him.</p>
<p>It wasn't meant for him.</p>
<p>''How have you been, love...? Have you... been eating properly? Have you been getting out of bed okay without me...?''</p>
<p>Minho's voice was floaty, detached, yet filled with so much love that it would have swept Jisung off his feet, his arms coming around the older's body almost instinctively, wanting to provide warmth during Minho's last moments of existence.</p>
<p>He couldn't stop crying, shaking, devastated on Minho's behalf while the older himself embraced the fleeting nature of the breaths that spilled from his lips, a few stray tears rolling down his cheeks as well.</p>
<p>Tears that told of happiness.</p>
<p>Tears that told of being content, loved, <em>wanted</em>.</p>
<p>''I'm not going anywhere again...''</p>
<p>Tears that told of being home.</p>
<p>''I will stay with you... forever...''</p>
<p>Minhos hands dropped from Jisung's cheeks, instead latching onto his stained shirt, but he didn't seem to care as he leaned against the younger's chest, closing his eyes, expecting his departure.</p>
<p>Jisung just cradled Minho even closer, holding him tightly to ground himself as the older dissolved with a last satisfied sigh, particles of light lingering in the air for a second longer before they faded.</p>
<p>And with them, Minho.</p>
<p>Jisung was left hugging nothing, the comforting presence of a human body in his embrace taken from him, and as his arms fell back beside him and he suppressed a cry of anguish, he almost thought he heard Minho's voice one last time.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I'm back home.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Left behind on the ground in front of him, a sparkling blue sphere seemed to smile up at him, and as if in trance, Jisung carefully picked it up, the light reflecting in his eyes as he brought Minho's soul up to his mouth.</p>
<p>His fingers were trembling, but he managed to gently place the sphere on his tongue, reveling in the peculiar taste and the pictures flashing past him, choking him up as he brought himself to swallow.</p>
<p>He saw movement at the edge of his vision, Jeongin approaching him hesitantly, wanting to provide comfort, Yoongi sitting on the floor in shock of what had just taken place, Kihyun still unconscious, unknowing of his partner's fate, but it all blurred together in Jisung's head.</p>
<p>He felt nauseous, incredibly sick, but it wasn't fear taking hold of his heart and crushing it under its weight.</p>
<p>It was rage.</p>
<p>Because if Changbin thought he could keep playing with the hopes and dreams of other people, he had another thing coming for him.</p>
<p>And Jisung would be the one to serve justice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Sorrow filled the red haired boy's heart, tears mixing with the rain on his face, his face turned towards the heavens in an unspoken accusation.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His sobbing had turned into miserable hiccups and his back hurt from kneeling in the same hunched over posture for hours on end, but he wasn't ready to go home yet.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He hadn't gathered enough strength yet to return to that place. He didn't think he ever would.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Not without Minho.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The thought of his beloved brought upon a fresh wave of tears and he uselessly wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to replicate the warmth Minho had always given him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He felt so incredibly lonely.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He felt—</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Biscuit.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The hauntingly familiar voice had the boy flinching, whipping around as quick as lightning, his sobs catching in his throat as he noticed Minho standing a few steps away, a peaceful smile on his lips.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>This... this couldn't be real... </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>This...couldn't be his Min...</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I'm right here, biscuit'', the older assured him, taking a step towards the boy and extending his hand to him. ''I'll always be right here with you.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The boy clumsily stumbled to his feet, tears obstructing his vision as he flung himself at his Min, expecting to pass right through his hallucination, yet bawling even more as he realized that Minho's form was solid, present.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Like he was really... there.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Thank you for waiting for me.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Nodding desperately, the boy reached up to loop his arms around Minho's neck, pulling the older close to him and connecting their lips in a heated, passionate kiss of desire and mourning.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For a moment, the world and all its cruelty simply fell away, forgotten in favor of savoring his reunion with his lover after all this time.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>When they parted, the boy could see tears glistening in Minho's eyes, something inherently vulnerable that made his heart twist.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I would have waited for you a thousand years longer'', he choked out, overcome by love and the relief of seeing the older again. ''I love you, Minho. I missed you.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''Me too.'' </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Minho wiped at his eyes, his fond, happy smile still unbroken even with the tears starting to roll down his cheeks.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I love you so much, Jeyou. In life and afterlife, there is no love for you like mine.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hehehehehe~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. [Scene 9]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Our long journey is finally coming to the finale!</p>
<p>This last chapter is very messy because I tried to do a happy ending, but I CAN'T write happy endings, so it's just a trainwreck now.</p>
<p>Bine, this is your fault. (Love you though)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jisung didn't know how they made it out of the tower.</p>
<p>He didn't know how they were able to get past the raging and roaring masses of black stars and weapons alike, all of them set out to destroy the building that seemed to represent their oppression at the hands of people like Changbin.</p>
<p>Recycled, toyed with, played like a chess piece on a particularly unfair board, they had risen in protest, saving their imprisoned brothers from rotting away in their cages and accusing the weapons that had stood back and let their misery happen.</p>
<p>The purification hall was a massive chaos of different, clashing ideals, the metallic taste of blood tainting the holy ground and screams echoing off the walls, but Jisung didn't notice any of it.</p>
<p>He didn't notice Jungkook, Jeongin and Seungmin straying from their little group, mingling with the crowd and trying to call on reason that didn't exist anymore, neither did he notice Yoongi pulling him out of the tower or a boy he had never seen before speaking to his partner in a hushed, worried voice.</p>
<p>As far as Jisung was concerned, he was just suddenly out of the tower, staring at the eternal whiteness above, Yoongi's hand waving in front of his face being the thing to pull him out of his self-induced haze of mourning and regretting.</p>
<p>There would be enough time for that later on, after Changbin had been put into his place.</p>
<p>The thought was enough to induce a painful throbbing behind his forehead, heat pooling in his stomach as burning aversion, but he tuned it out, instead focusing on the pulsing of his chest wound.</p>
<p>It ached and hurt, yet he couldn't shake off the fond feeling blooming in his heart at the realization that it was something tangible that Minho had left him, his memory visible on Jisung's skin.</p>
<p>It wasn't much to ease his mind, but it was a beginning.</p>
<p>''I'll take him'', the boy next to Yoongi suddenly offered, gesturing at Kihyun who was still unconscious on Yoongi's back, suspiciously pale and shaking as if he was cold. ''You shouldn't bring him to where you're going.''</p>
<p>''And where is it that we're going?'', Jisung asked, scanning the empty terrain with an uneasy feeling, especially as he noted the absence of any guards on the premises, leaving the Central Tower completely vulnerable for any attacks from stagnated souls.</p>
<p>And black stars, he supposed.</p>
<p>There was hardly any difference anymore, the way they tore apart the very foundation of their duty all too similar to the raw destruction brought upon by tortured souls.</p>
<p>The unknown boy glanced at him as he carefully moved Kihyun, the older letting out the faintest whimpers of pain, causing Yoongi's expression to soften in pity.</p>
<p>For the longest time, Jisung hadn't been able to grasp the strange atmosphere between these two, how they seemed so keen to jump at each other's throat and throw dirty glares around, pulled towards each other yet at the same time so arbitrary and hostile without any reason.</p>
<p>In this particular moment, however, with Yoongi reaching out to softly caress Kihyun's face, moving a few black strands behind his ear and looking at him with so much fondness, Jisung finally got it.</p>
<p>He finally understood.</p>
<p>And as Yoongi's gaze met his own, he could tell that the older understood as well, even as he retracted his hands from the other male, visibly steadying himself and collecting his thoughts.</p>
<p>''We're going to confront Changbin, right?''</p>
<p>The boy nodded before letting out a deep, irritated sigh that told of his previous experiences with Changbin, none of which seemed to be particularly pleasant judging from the way he squinted into the expanse of the Threshold.</p>
<p>There was a vulnerable, sad kind of pain and disappointment in his eyes, something Jisung knew all too well, yet he chose not to comment, following the boy's gaze as if that would enable him to see what the other was seeing.</p>
<p>''I dont know when or why Changbin became like this, but I swear he's not a bad person at heart.''</p>
<p>
  <em>Nobody was all bad.</em>
</p>
<p>A tiny fraction of Jisung's fury at the older dissolved into nothing with the throaty, quiet declaration that left the boy's mouth, filled with sincerity and a silent request for forgiveness on Changbin's behalf.</p>
<p>Jisung didn't want to forgive him just like that, not after what he had done to Minho, to Jeongin, to Seungmin, to <em>everyone</em> residing in the Threshold.</p>
<p>It was cruelty conducted on souls that were already too close to their breaking point and the sheer meaninglessness of it was insulting.</p>
<p>''You don't need to believe me, just—'', the boy broke off, suddenly a little choked up, though he quickly schooled his expression back to neutral. ''Just try to get through to him. Please.''</p>
<p>Something broke inside of Jisung as the boy turned to him with pleading eyes, looking so fragile that it made his heart twist, and he drew an unstable breath before giving the faintest nod he could muster.</p>
<p>It was an unspoken promise hovering ominously in the air above them, invisible yet at the same time tangible like little else, and the boy gave a thankful bow, wiping at his eyes before signaling for Jisung and Yoongi to follow him.</p>
<p>They made their way around the imposing tower, ignoring the ruckus going on on the inside while the boy's hands wandered over the stone walls, trying to find some sort of secret entrance.</p>
<p>He didn't seem all too successful, movements confused and erratic as he wrecked his brain for the spot, and out of a want to help, Jisung reached out as well, not really expecting himself to find anything.</p>
<p>He felt along the wall for a moment, some deeply-rooted instinct inside of him guiding his hands to a certain stone and as he pressed down on it experimentally, a part of the wall gave way like a door would, revealing a dark chamber.</p>
<p>''Is this it?'', he inquired, the boy hurriedly stepping next to him to examine what he had found, a satisfied hum telling Jisung that this was the entrance they had looked for.</p>
<p>His stomach roiled at the thought of setting foot into this dark, narrow space, and Yoongi took his hand in a gesture of comfort and assurance, an encouraging smile enabling Jisung to move into the chamber.</p>
<p>He was startled when a few lights suddenly lit up over him, his surroundings unveiling themselves as an elevator, various blinking buttons on one side and a mirror on the other.</p>
<p>''This is an elevator with access to every floor here in the Central Tower'', the boy explained, an amused smile appearing on his lips at his next sentence. ''It's quicker than taking the stairs.''</p>
<p>
  <em>Why take the stairs when you have a hellevator?</em>
</p>
<p>A tingle went through Jisung's body and he shivered, the action thankfully going unnoticed by Yoongi as he stepped into the elevator, eyes fixed on the different buttons as if trying to determine which one of these would lead them to Changbin.</p>
<p>''You're probably going to find him down in the cellar.''</p>
<p>Another shiver went through Jisung, his hands coming up to rub at his arms, willing the goosebumps away that appeared on his skin while Yoongi thanked the boy, pressing the button that would bring them to their final destination.</p>
<p>The elevator slowly, soundlessly moved down, a silent departure before the inevitable confrontation, and Jisung used the time to lean back against the wall, closing his eyes and bracing himself for whatever would follow.</p>
<p>He had never seen Changbin with a weapon and a tiny part of him hoped dearly that they would sort things out without the need for physical violence, yet at the same time he knew how unlikely that was in a world where everything was decided through means of fighting.</p>
<p>Exhausted, he ran a hand through his hair, concentrating on taking a few deep breaths to keep his nerves at bay, his chest still aching with every shaky exhale that left him.</p>
<p>It was whatever. He wouldn't exactly <em>die </em>from his wounds.</p>
<p>In a way, the knowledge provided a warped sense of comfort, of courage to go all in, yet at the same time the consequences of his possible failure weighed on his soul, reminded him of what was to happen if he let Changbin defeat him.</p>
<p>It wasn't too far off for the older to just erase Jisung's ego and deploy him as a soulless puppet once more, with no memories of everything he had gathered during his journey in the Threshold.</p>
<p>With no memories of himself, of Minho, of anyone or anything.</p>
<p>The cruelty of that possibility only made him shiver a third time and the fact that he didn't really <em>get </em>Changbin was probably even more terrifying.</p>
<p>There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to his behavior, but Jisung knew there had to be something more behind a baseless need to see other people suffer that had driven Changbin here.</p>
<p>And he would find it out one way or another.</p>
<p>With his new resolve festering in his mind, blooming like a flower, he opened his eyes, promptly making eye contact with his reflection in the mirror.</p>
<p>Or rather, <em>Chan's </em>reflection, because the blond hair and those unmistakable dimples certainly didn't belong to him.</p>
<p>Jisung blinked a few times, trying to get his mind to catch up with the reality while Chan smiled at him fondly, his manifestation probably a way to reassure and encourage the younger on what felt like his last mission.</p>
<p>He knew it wasn't – of course it wasn't – yet something about facing Changbin felt different, scarier than any of his engagements with stagnated souls.</p>
<p>It felt... <em>final</em>.</p>
<p>He blinked again, the vision of Chan disappearing, recoiling to the back of his mind, his own reflection looking back at him with a vaguely conflicted expression, clearly nervous as the elevator slowed to a halt.</p>
<p>Even before the stone wall parted, Jisung could feel the icy coolness of the cellar invading his body, his muscles locking up and teeth chattering, though that unnatural coldness only lasted for a few seconds, an illusion as everything within the Threshold proved to be.</p>
<p>Changbin was already waiting for him when Jisung stepped out of the elevator with as much confidence and determination as he could muster, a quick scan of their surroundings confirming that there was nothing done here except piles of stones and metal poles, remnants of a project picked up and forgotten.</p>
<p>''This was supposed to be a place to deposit broken black stars'', Changbin disclosed, the casual, insulting way he spoke about black stars like they were toys almost tearing a frustrated growl from Jisung's lips.</p>
<p>He was done being labelled as <em>broken. </em>As <em>imperfect.</em></p>
<p>He wasn't something that was meant to function.</p>
<p>''But I think they look so much prettier upstairs where I can see them. Especially Jeongin.''</p>
<p>Jisung's eye flame flared up at those words, Yoongi's hand suddenly resting on his arm the only thing keeping him from storming over to Changbin and making him regret ever saying anything.</p>
<p>Jeongin wasn't a toy. And neither was he.</p>
<p>He was seething, seeing absolutely nothing but red for a moment, and while he gladly would have yelled at the older for harboring such repulsive opinions, Yoongi beat him to it, addressing Changbin with a ridiculously neutral voice.</p>
<p>''What are you?''</p>
<p>An amused smile tugged the corners of Changbin's lips up, his golden eye flame igniting and causing Jisung to tense in alarm, expecting an attack as the older raised his arm, a weapon seemingly manifesting out of thin air above him.</p>
<p>''I am a black star who oversees the missions of other black stars. But more than that, I am the one who will eradicate the Threshold once and for all!''</p>
<p>Eradicate the Threshold?</p>
<p>Jisung froze, stunned by both the sudden revelation and the weapon that took form right above Changbin, a giant ring with sharp edges that acted as a saw, the shape unfamiliar as much as it was familiar, rousing a feeling of recognition in a part of Jisung's memories that didn't feel like his own.</p>
<p>He <em>knew</em> this weapon and at the same time, he didn't.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''It's not a weapon.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Chan's voice reverberated in his mind, a watery scene long forgotten playing in front of Jisung's inner eye, seeming to have weakened in the course of time.</p>
<p>He saw a blurry, yet familiar building, a place where he – Chan? – had been before, a logo on the walls that looked exactly like the weapon Changbin was wielding.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''It's my company.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The realization hit Jisung like lightning, his mind flashing back to his encounter with Chan in the company building, his thoughts making the connection so fast that it made him visibly jump.</p>
<p><em>Changbin knew the company</em>.</p>
<p>It wasn't a groundbreaking discovery by any means, but something inside Jisung told him this little piece of information was the key to figuring out why Changbin wanted to destroy the Threshold.</p>
<p>Was it something that happened at the company? Did he die in the fire too?</p>
<p>Or was there something else that had weighed down his soul?</p>
<p>''The Threshold is a dirty world, filled to the brim with selfish desires.''</p>
<p>Changbin reached for his weapon, the saw abruptly starting to spin under his touch, the edges growing indiscernible, yet still undoubtedly razor sharp as the ring whirled in the air.</p>
<p>Jisung's heart dropped to his stomach at the thought of getting hit with that thing, but he tried not to let his fear show on his face as he willed Yoongi into weapon form, taking on a defensive stance with his sword in front of his chest.</p>
<p>His wounds ached, but it didn't matter.</p>
<p>''I've been wanting to wipe out this mess of a world for a long time'', Changbin growled, fixing Jisung with a challenging glare before hurling the saw in his direction like it was an oversized deadly frisbee.</p>
<p>Jisung thought he was prepared for the attack, had already mentally braced himself for the possibility of getting a spinning saw thrown at him, but he had failed to account for the way the Threshold answered to Changbin.</p>
<p>It twisted the illusions in his favor, distorting the world in such a way that the younger found himself faced not only with <em>one </em>ring of destruction coming his way, but instead with about <em>a dozen, </em>their courses set to completely overwhelm and obliterate him.</p>
<p>Jisung couldn't possibly block all of those attacks, so he let himself fall to the side, the swishing of the wind passing him both a relief and a spike of terror.</p>
<p>Something whizzed past his arm regardless, slicing into his skin with such ferocity that red drops sprayed up.</p>
<p>His skin burned, but he pushed through the feeling, watching the spinning saws crashing into the walls of the cellar, dust and stones suddenly exploding around Jisung with an ear-shattering boom.</p>
<p>He was thrown into a pile of hard stones and metal, barely able to cling onto his sword despite it not doing anything in the situation.</p>
<p>He didn't have the weapon to fight against saws, especially ones that <em>exploded upon impact</em>.</p>
<p>His muscles screamed as he pushed himself up, his vision tilting for a moment, yet he was still able to make out Changbin catching one of the saws with his bare hands, the thing apparently having come back to him the way a frisbee would.</p>
<p>''You know, Jisung'', he tutted, giving the younger a precious second to take a shuddering breath before he flung the saw at him a second time, the shiny spinning ring glistening with a few drops of blood.</p>
<p>His blood.</p>
<p>Unable to dodge the assault in time, Jisung curled up, hands over his head to shield himself a little, and to his relief, the saw went over his head without doing any harm.</p>
<p>Changbin had missed.</p>
<p>He had missed?</p>
<p>The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth, especially as he carefully raised his head and noticed the oddly satisfied smirk on the older's face, his eyes seeming to follow something behind Jisung.</p>
<p>
  <em>Wait—</em>
</p>
<p>Something impossibly sharp and painful struck him in the back of his head and he wailed miserably, tucking his head back down and letting the saw whizz over him, a disgusting, wet feeling of blood seeping into his hair.</p>
<p>He was instantly dizzy, shivers wrecking his body and his breathing turning strained, red spilling from his head onto the stones below.</p>
<p>Holy shit. <em>Holy fucking shit.</em></p>
<p>If he had still been alive, this would have killed him immediately.</p>
<p>''Originally, I was planning to take you out without any suffering.''</p>
<p>He didn't dare to lift his head again, whimpers spilling from his throat at the agony, black threatening to overtake his vision.</p>
<p>Would he dissolve from this? Was this how he met his end as a black star?</p>
<p>Whacked in the head by a saw?</p>
<p>He was trembling, the sword still resting in his hand, completely helpless to do anything else other than take ragged breaths and wait for Changbin to finish him.</p>
<p>He didn't want to dissolve.</p>
<p>He wanted... He wanted...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Calm down, I'm saving you.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Felix's voice was but a whisper in his mind, maybe the product of his damaged brain tissue that was dripping to the floor, but the overwhelming pain in the back of his head abruptly faded to a sore ache, like someone had closed the wound and eased it down.</p>
<p>Then there was the faintest touch on his shoulder, a sensation that felt like a kiss being pressed to the top of his hair and a relieved hum penetrating the air, but he could barely pay attention to it as he brought a trembling hand to the wound on his head, meeting nothing except scarred skin and stray drops of blood.</p>
<p>Was he... was he okay?</p>
<p>Had Felix helped him?</p>
<p>He let out a shaky breath, relieved and grateful, though these emotions didn't linger for long when he heard Changbin chuckle in amusement, leisurely wiping some blood and flesh from his saw.</p>
<p>Had Jisung been capable of heaving up his nonexistant breakfast, he surely would have at the sight.</p>
<p>''You've been a valuable asset in this little experiment and I <em>was</em> going to humor that.''</p>
<p>''Ex...periment..?'', Jisung repeated, having difficulty assembling the syllables in his head into a coherent word.</p>
<p>Changbin's expression darkened at his question, a somber look appearing in his eyes as he gestured at their surroundings.</p>
<p>''This is the Threshold, a world without up and down, left and right. What does it mean to fulfill your wishes in such a realm? What lies beyond your wishes? Can emotions change this world?''</p>
<p>He paused, as if expecting an answer, then shook his head and continued, dismissing everything Jisung could have brought up in reply.</p>
<p>Maybe he simply didn't want to hear it.</p>
<p>Or maybe he was scared of the answer.</p>
<p>''I realized the Threshold never changes. It was a completely worthless experiment because at the end of all that useless hope there's nothing except despair and death.''</p>
<p>Even with the little coordination he had left, Jisung managed to shake his head and push himself to his knees to meet Changbin's gaze.</p>
<p>''That's not true'', he rasped out, tightening his grip on his sword as irritation flared up on Changbin's face, the older hissing at him like Jisung had personally insulted him with his words.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''What do <em>you </em>know?! You are <b>dead</b>!!''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung's eye flame flickered angrily, power rushing through his veins from the souls of those that rested within him, drowning out the thumping in his head and giving way to a fierce determination that enabled him to get up and rush over to Changbin before the older could even register the movement.</p>
<p>He raised his sword, prepared to strike Changbin down when the warmth of a hand wrapping around his own had him whipping his head to the side, Chan standing next to him with a heartsore smile.</p>
<p>
  <em>''My feelings live.''</em>
</p>
<p>It sounded like a promise.</p>
<p>Another hand came to rest on top of Chan's, Felix suddenly materializing at his side and giving Jisung a warm smile that nearly made him tear up.</p>
<p>
  <em>''My feelings live.'' </em>
</p>
<p>It sounded like a reassurance.</p>
<p>On Jisung's other side, Hyunjin linked their arms, smiling pitifully while regarding him with favor.</p>
<p>
  <em>''My feelings live.''</em>
</p>
<p>It sounded like an apology.</p>
<p>And then—</p>
<p>A hand slipping into his, a lovely, content smile greeting him as he looked at Minho, this time tearing up for real at the recognition just how <em>at peace </em>he seemed.</p>
<p>
  <em>''My feelings live.''</em>
</p>
<p>It sounded like a confession.</p>
<p>Taking a deep, controlled breath, he focused his attention back on Changbin, the combined energy of five souls pulsing in his sword as he brought it down with a cry that was equal parts promise, reassurance, apology, confession and <em>hope</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''My feelings <em><b>live</b></em><em>!!''</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a devastating clink of metal meeting metal that reverberated through the cellar hauntingly loud, their weapons clashing against each other in contrary beliefs.</p>
<p>The ferocity of the hit was so intense that it caused sparks to fly in the space between them, the air charged with a force beyond comprehension, with the very essence of their souls.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''It's not a big deal, Changbin. I don't have time for this right now.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung heard Chan's voice loud and clear again, the spark of a memory before it died down, fleeting as much as it was precious, and the younger desperately tried to latch onto it, tried to savor the feeling it left in his chest in hopes of understanding.</p>
<p>Vacancy hidden behind a veil of conjured hatred and fake desires, he concentrated on the steady pulsing in his hands, on the fierce flickering of Changbin's eye flame, on the way his eyes narrowed in displeasure while their weapons stayed entangled for a moment longer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''That's the issue, hyung. You never have time. Not for me, not for any of your friends, not for yourself. And certainly not for Jisung.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was doing <em>something</em>, that much was clear from the steady surge of charged energy in his veins and the fizzle in the air, though Jisung wasn't able to grasp what exactly that was or why Changbin was growing so irritated about it.</p>
<p>It was like his mind was reaching outward, into the very corners of the older's soul to discover the truth that was buried there and finally assemble the puzzle pieces that were missing in this mystery.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You don't have any clue what you're talking about, Changbin.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Stop poking around in my memories'', Changbin growled, snapping Jisung's mind into place so suddenly that it gave him whiplash, the pieces of conversation he had strained to make out shattering like pieces of glass.</p>
<p>It didn't matter.</p>
<p>He already knew.</p>
<p>And from the angry spark in Changbin's eyes, it was obvious that he knew too, his constructed facade crumbling and exposing his most vulnerable of emotions.</p>
<p>Jisung wanted to say something, wanted to reassure him, to put an end to this useless fighting, and without meaning to, his grip on his sword loosened, his pity getting the better of him.</p>
<p>It was a short moment of negligence, of hesitation, something he wouldn't have shown back when he had been a <em>functioning </em>black star, and Changbin used this opportunity to withdraw his saw and bring it against Jisung's sword with such a vigor that it was knocked out of his hands completely.</p>
<p>
  <em>Just like he had done during his fight with Minho.</em>
</p>
<p>The realization induced a twinge in his chest, though he wasn't given any time to dwell on it, the tell-tale sign of a metallic ting followed by Yoongi's groaning spurring his body into action, making him back away just in time to avoid getting a saw rammed into his chest.</p>
<p>Calculated fury was radiating off Changbin, his tight grip on his weapon seeming almost manic, but behind that anger loomed an endless expanse of fear that was steadily squeezing his heart, fear that Jisung knew all too well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''Chan hyung, we should talk.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''There's nothing to talk about.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung had been a coward back then, but he wouldn't make the same mistake now.</p>
<p>He raised his head a little higher, making eye contact with the older, trying to put every emotion, every snippet of happiness, fear and sorrow he had experienced on this journey into his gaze.</p>
<p>They didn't have to fight.</p>
<p>They never had to fight.</p>
<p>''Changbin hyung.'' His voice was back to scratchy, too quiet and yet at the same time too loud for their deathly silent surroundings. ''You don't really want to destroy the Threshold, do you?''</p>
<p>Jisung knew he didn't and Changbin knew as well, but he didn't say anything, a bitter expression falling over his features, like he was humoring Jisung by listening to what he had to say before taking him out anyway.</p>
<p>He had to make the most out of it.</p>
<p>''It's true that everyone in this world is selfish. But that's only because everyone in this world is alone.''</p>
<p>An odd feeling bloomed in his chest at the words and he moved his hand there, almost imagining the beating of five different hearts under his fingers, five different people and their wishes that were all so diverse, yet all the same.</p>
<p>
  <em>''The wish to love and be loved.''</em>
</p>
<p>''Sometimes you just want to have someone by your side, to feel their warmth and hear their voice. That's why I want to become a star that's nestled close to your soul.''</p>
<p>There was still no reaction, no true emotion in Changbin's eyes, but the fact that he hadn't attacked Jisung yet was proof enough that something inside of him seemed to be faltering, surrendering.</p>
<p>Nobody was all bad.</p>
<p>''This is my wish'', Jisung concluded, removing his hand from his heart to extend it in Changbin's direction in an unspoken offer. ''What's your wish, hyung?''</p>
<p>For the fragment of a second, the older hesitated, the spinning ring still in his hands as he pondered the question, like no one had ever asked him this before.</p>
<p>Like no one had ever given regard to his desires, his dreams, all too self-centered and caught up in their own problems.</p>
<p>His chest ached.</p>
<p>''My wish is—'', Changbin started, with a voice that was uncharacteristically fragile and confused.</p>
<p>Jisung held hope.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''To destroy the Threshold.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung knew it wasn't true. He knew Changbin wished for something else deep down.</p>
<p>In the unsure flickering of his eye flame, in the twitch of his hand, in the frustrated furrowing of his brows, his true wish was revealed, but he still didn't want to see it.</p>
<p>He still chose to pretend, still chose to indulge in meaningless conflict for no other reason than to hide from himself, still chose to ignore Jisung's outstretched hand, his offer to help.</p>
<p>''I know that's not it'', he disagreed, watching Changbin's muscles tense, his entire stance seeming feral, uncontrolled, an animal about to pounce as he glared at Jisung, clearly backed into a corner.</p>
<p>He wanted to argue the truth the younger presented to him, but Jisung wouldn't let him. Not anymore.</p>
<p>''I know your true wish is something else'', he pushed, a cheeky smile appearing on his features as he already anticipated the scale of the reaction he was about to get with his next words. ''Actually, me and Chan both know.''</p>
<p>As expected, Changbin damn near exploded at the mention of Chan, the entirety of hell's fury channeled in the way he charged at Jisung, his saw in one hand as he roughly grabbed the younger's neck with the other, either looking to choke him into oblivion or to keep him in place for a finishing blow.</p>
<p>Either way, Jisung didn't resist as he was shoved to the ground with a force whose only source could have been raw sadness, his head meeting the hard concrete so painfully that he had to close his eyes at the ache that shot through him.</p>
<p>A foot came to rest on his chest, preventing him from moving even if he would have had the mind to resist, and he felt the pressure on his windpipe disappear as Changbin straightened up, the whirring of the spinning ring above him telling him that the older would probably embed the thing into his body any second now.</p>
<p>Still, Jisung wasn't scared as he opened his eyes and came face to face with what might possibly be the last thing he ever got to see, Changbin's form above him holding the saw in his hands, the shiny metal looking threatening and entrancing at the same time.</p>
<p>Somewhere to his left, he could hear Yoongi's ragged breathing, the older man's presence completely forgotten throughout his exchange with Changbin, but Jisung knew he wouldn't be able to help him anyway right now.</p>
<p>And frankly, as he gazed up at Changbin, catching the conflicted expression on his face, he knew that he wouldn't need any help.</p>
<p>A familiar, soothing soul brushed against his own within himself, something he wouldn't have thought to be possible, and before Jisung was aware of it, he was talking in a voice that wasn't his.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Did I hurt you?''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Chan.</em>
</p>
<p>Hearing the older talk through him was a strange feeling, even more so because his voice sounded like a distorted mix of his own and Chan's at the same time, but it still seemed to touch something in Changbin if the way his eyes glazed over was anything to go by.</p>
<p>Without focus, he scanned over Jisung's body, as if he was searching for something there, something that only the two of them could understand.</p>
<p>''Chan hyung?''</p>
<p>The previous rage that had consumed him was blown out like a candle on a cold winter night, leaving only a vague sense of helplessness and pain in its wake.</p>
<p>He was trembling, barely able to hold onto the saw, barely putting any strength into keeping Jisung down, but the younger refrained from trying to get up for now, leaving Chan a little room to carry a conversation that was long overdue.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''If I was your friend, I would have killed myself too.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The haunting words reverberated in Jisung's mind and he cringed, suddenly understanding.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry for not realizing how miserable you were feeling because I chose to be self-centered and cut you out of my life. I messed up. I really messed up. I'm sorry for not realizing you needed me. I'm sorry for not realizing I needed <em>you</em>.''</p>
<p>It was a simple apology, yet those few words held an incredible weight in death, especially if Changbin had waited so long to hear them, had purposefully reminded himself each and every second of his existence in the Threshold of why he resented Chan.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry for leaving you with pain and not sticking up your wounds even though I was the one to inflict them on you. I'm sorry for leaving you alone when you needed my hug, when you needed a shoulder to cry on because life was too cruel and we were to young to make it on our own. I'm sorry for breaking our friendship when you needed me the most.''</p>
<p>There were blurry pictures emerging from a memory that wasn't Jisung's, a deeply-rooted sense of betrayal that correlated directly to his own, and he mentally took a backseat, the words coming out of his mouth seeming directed at Changbin and him both.</p>
<p>Chan had disappointed them both in the same way, had hurt them and left them to die a lonely death, but he was here right now, trying to ease old wounds with vulnerable regret and mourning.</p>
<p>Jisung figured it probably must have been hard on Chan as well.</p>
<p>''I know saying sorry isn't enough for how much I disappointed you and I know we're already dead and it's done and over with, but I still hope you would forgive this sorry man. I hope that maybe one day, in a different life, we'll meet again and start all over.''</p>
<p>With an apology, all the piled-up resentment inside of Changbin abruptly lost its meaning, dissolved the way stagnated souls did, and the older was left staring wordlessly at Jisung who was still sprawled out on the ground, the medium through which stagnated souls got their voices.</p>
<p>''We don't have to fight'', he reminded Changbin, the sincerity in his words splintering some unseen haze that had surrounded them without either of them realizing.</p>
<p>There were tears pricking at his eyes and he wasn't sure whose they were, yet it didn't matter, for there was a suspicious wetness in Changbin's eyes as well, the saw in his hands cracking in a physical representation of his splintering resolve to take revenge.</p>
<p>He didn't want to fight either.</p>
<p>The weapon burst into pieces, the metal clattering to the ground harmlessly, and Changbin finally dropped his arms and removed his foot from Jisung's chest, allowing him to sit up.</p>
<p>His head was spinning and there was a stinging pressure behind his eye lids, but it seemed unimportant as he caught an illusion of Chan suddenly manifesting in front of him, extending his hand to Changbin like Jisung had done before.</p>
<p>''Can we start over again?'', he asked in a heavy, hoarse voice that held all the agony he had chosen to ignore during his lifetime. ''Can we be strangers again?''</p>
<p>Chan's shoulders were heaving, like he was silently crying as well, the nature of those tears both apologetic and happy as Changbin suddenly took his hand, pulling Chan into a crushing hug.</p>
<p>It was a new beginning as much as it was a long-awaited end and it was embraced by the two of them for what it was as they clung to each other like two friends who were reunited after a long argument.</p>
<p>''We can start over'', Changbin confirmed, heartbroken sobs escaping him despite himself. ''I can introduce myself and we can laugh and talk. We can relearn what we already know. And come up with new inside jokes. And create new memories. And give each other a second chance.''</p>
<p>Chan only seemed to tremble even harder at that, relieved and properly happy for the first time since he had entered the Threshold, and while Jisung was aware that he should give this moment to the two of them, he suddenly couldn't help himself.</p>
<p>He picked himself up, swaying a little on his feet before he was able to stumble over to Chan and Changbin, extending his arms and joining in on their emotional hug.</p>
<p>Frankly, they didn't seem to mind his presence, actually enveloping him in their tight embrace.</p>
<p>And despite the tears clouding his vision, Jisung felt a fond, pure smile slip on his face that only widened when Felix joined in as well, and then Hyunjin, and then Minho, and then, with a gesture of Changbin's hand, Seungmin and Jeongin too.</p>
<p>Truthfully, they didn't seem to comprehend where the hell they were or what had happened, but they didn't protest either as Jisung tugged them into the circle, instead easing into the warmth of the group hug they were subjected to.</p>
<p>Cradled in a loving, comforting and forgiving embrace after all of their premature passings, Jisung was fairly certain in this particular moment that all of them felt the same peaceful tranquility that consumed him, spreading from his heart into every fiber of his being.</p>
<p>He was happy. Content. At peace.</p>
<p>Looking at the smiling faces around him, he briefly caught Changbin's gaze, the smiles they traded like an exchange the two of them understood perfectly well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''You're right, my wish was never to destroy the Threshold.''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''And what was it really?''</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>''I wanted someone to be there for me.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jisung understood. He understood the sentiment right in the deepest corner of his soul.</p>
<p>''We're here now'', he reassured, quietly, like it was their own little secret, and Changbin smiled in reply, a genuine, thankful smile that would take some getting used to.</p>
<p>He didn't mind.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I know. Thank you.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>And in that instant, a familiar, serene sentence crossed his mind, whispered to him in Minho's voice and poised with the smiles all around him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>''I'm home.''</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was his haven. This was his home.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. [Epilogue]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jisung knew he was dreaming.</p>
<p>The sky above was black, constellations of stars splattered over the dark canvas, twinkling as if they were telling their story to whoever was listening.</p>
<p>The landscape around him was shrouded in darkness, but from the way the ground beneath his feet rustled, he knew that he was walking through a wide patch of grass, the checkered tiles of the Threshold having made way for a hallucination of his own.</p>
<p>He knew he was dreaming.</p>
<p>The way his vision blurred at the edges when he turned his head was completely foreign, as were his desolate surroundings, not a sign of Yoongi or anyone else to be found as he slowly treaded towards where his body led him.</p>
<p>There was a jumpy feeling in his muscles, old nervousness mixing with fresh anticipation, curiosity drowning the disappointment that might have sat in his heart.</p>
<p>The light night breeze caressed his face and he closed his eyes, really allowing himself to breathe deeply and revel in this moment where nothing existed except the wide expanse of grass under him and a canvas of stars above him.</p>
<p>Winding down and taking time for himself had been a rare occurrence before his confrontation with Changbin and it still took some getting used to, especially when there were thoughts mingling with his that most certainly didn't belong to him, but he didn't mind.</p>
<p>He was content if only the souls inside of him could find their peace there.</p>
<p>Listening into the corners of his heart, he felt their presence, warm and comforting, bringing with them familiarity and love, but before he could focus too much on it, there was something wet on his face that forced him to open his eyes again.</p>
<p>White snowflakes danced in the crispy air, a choreographed ballet conducted by the gentle wind as they drifted towards the ground, coating the grass in a layer of white.</p>
<p>He followed their graceful, practiced movements with his eyes, still pushing forwards despite the unknown nature of his journey, though he paused upon spotting a silhouette appearing in the distance, its form bearing resemblance to an old, regretful friend.</p>
<p>Ah. Jisung should have figured.</p>
<p>Chuckling to himself, he hurried over to the figure, snow swirling around him like it was giving him a thousand little kisses, reassurances for the talk he didn't want to run away from anymore.</p>
<p>''Chan hyung.''</p>
<p>The words were difficult to get out, but Jisung forced them out anyway, knowing the relief of facing himself would outweigh the dreadful feeling permanently nestled in the pit of his stomach.</p>
<p>He took a step closer to Chan, unsure where to look, unsure where to keep his hands, unsure how he should breach the conversation stolen from them.</p>
<p>''I'm sorry I'm late.''</p>
<p>A warm hand came up to cup his cheek, the touch encouraging Jisung to meet the older's affectionate, knowing gaze, his heart fluttering in his chest from the intensity of the feelings he discerned in Chan's eyes.</p>
<p>''It's okay'', Chan mumbled, sincerely, yet strangely nervous at the same time, the fear of scaring Jisung off once more probably resurfacing as his expression took on a painful tone. ''I left the light in my heart on in case you ever wanted to come back.''</p>
<p>Jisung's breath hitched, the heat from Chan's touch surging through his body, warming him from inside out with fond, yet bitter revelation.</p>
<p>He couldn't go back.</p>
<p>The faint yearning in his heart, the desire to reach out and envelop Chan in a hug that spoke of future and hope, of fulfillment and love, of two fates joining together how they were fated to, it was all a useless dream.</p>
<p>Chan knew that he couldn't go back, it was evident from his sad smile, the despairing glow in his eyes, just a lonely fire dying out, and the icy snow falling around them in a world Jisung didn't belong in.</p>
<p>He didn't need to say anything for the older to understand, didn't need to explain why he couldn't even indulge a kiss under a sky like this, didn't even need to spell the single name pulsing under his skin.</p>
<p>He couldn't go back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They weren't possible.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Chan seemed to have come to terms with the reality of it, his hand slipping from Jisung's cheek, his warmth still lingering, clinging, unable to let go.</p>
<p>He looked at the starry, snowy sky, constellations twinkling in reply, his eyes slipping shut as he nodded, steadying himself.</p>
<p>When he spoke next, his voice was thick and heavy with emotion, yet tinted in an accepting, capitulating timbre.</p>
<p>''No, it's fine. I understand.''</p>
<p>Jisung wondered how much he really understood, how much he grasped the heartbreak that existed within him as well as a remembrance of emerald eyes.</p>
<p>He was really just as heartbroken as Chan, but they still couldn't be.</p>
<p>Chan didn't deserve to be treated as a second choice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I will always leave the light on regardless.''</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tears pricked in the Jisung's eyes, but he was desperate not to show them, instead giving a thankful bow and taking a hesitant, faltering step back, Chan's form dissolving into sparkling light to take its place along the stars.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''Hyung? Hello?''</p>
<p>Jisung startled out of his head, out of the endless grassy field, and back into the reality of the Threshold, Jeongin's worried face over him sparking a string of misplaced memories without substance.</p>
<p>Where was he? What had he been doing?</p>
<p>The cold metal in his hands seemed foreign for a couple of dreadful moments while his mind righted itself, but once it did, the recollection of what he had been up to hit him full force, making him stumble to his feet rather clumsily.</p>
<p>Right, he had been in the middle of a fight with a stagnated soul, the hit he had taken, as well as the consequent impact on the floor apparently enough to knock him unconscious.</p>
<p>The battlefield around him was an expected mess, though Jeongin himself only had a few scratches as he regarded him with a hint of amusement clear in his eyes.</p>
<p>''You okay?''</p>
<p>Jisung blinked a few times to rid himself of the lingering tears, a hand unconsciously coming up to rest over his heart, the skin there warm even through the fabric of his shirt.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Like a light was on in his heart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The thought conjured the ghost of a smile on his face and he looked up at the white expanse of the Threshold, devoid of any stars, yet still providing an odd sense of comfort to him.</p>
<p>Nodding at Jeongin, he steadied the grip on his sword, eyes scanning over the mess in front of them, a proof that the stagnated soul, wherever it might be, was not yet beaten.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>''I'm alright. Let's finish this, shall we?''</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Threshold.</p>
<p>A world for souls that are too burdened by the events of their lives to ascend to heaven or descend to hell.</p>
<p>A world that grants the opportunity to fulfill an innocent soul's last wish, to make their earnest dreams come true.</p>
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